Parwal/Patal Besan Fry - Pointed Gourd

Someone who isn't very enthusiastic about spending a lot of time in kitchen after a long day at work, I appreciate all the quick recipes my mom taught me. The Patal besan fry is one such dish. The best part of it is, because of its softness, it can be taken with both rice and roti. This can also serve as a quick side dish during an elaborate dinner.



Ingredients:

Patal/Parwal/Pointed Gourd - Washed and cut in the middle to allow stuffing.
Besan - One cup
Jeera - 1 tbsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Salt
Red chilli powder
Oil

Process:

  1. Mix all except patal in a bowl. Add oil in it and keep mixing till it is stays together. 
  2. Stuff the mixture along the split in the patal.
  3. Heat a generous helping of oil in a container.
  4. Once hot, add the stuffed patals in the oil and let it cook.
  5. Once the patals are start getting brown, sprinkle the rest of the mixture on top of it and mix.
  6. Cook covered. Sprinkle water occasionally and cook covered till the patals are soft.
  7. Serve hot with chapati or rice.



Pumpkin Curry - Gummudikaya Korra

Once in a while, it is  nice to have a curry on the sweeter side and pumpkin is a natural for that. I love this particular curry, because not only is it tasty with a mix of spice and sugar, it is super easy and quick to make. I love to eat it with rice!





Ingredients

Pumpkin - Cut in cubes
Channa dal - 1 tbsp
Urad dal - 1 tbsp
Mustard Seeds - tbsp
Dry Red Chilli - 2 in number or according to taste
Asafoetida - a pinch
Sugar
Oil
Salt to taste



Process

  1. Heat oil in a container
  2. Once hot, put the channa dal, urad dal, mustard seeds, and red chilli in it.
  3. Once they start spurting, add the pumpkin and mix.
  4. Add half a cup water, salt and sugar. Make it sweet according to your preference.
  5. Cook covered till pumpkin is tender.
  6. Serve hot with rice.



Coconut - eggplant curry - vankai kobari kora

This is one of my favorite eggplant curries. A very typical Andhra dish yet not too spicy. The juices that flow from the mixture of coconut and eggplant is yummy!




Ingredients

Coconut - cut into pieces
Coriander seeds - 1 tbs
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Green chillies - 2 pieces
Cashew/almonds - 4-5 pieces
Ginger - 1 inch
Green eggplants - 5
Salt to taste



Gravy

Put all ingredients except eggplants in a mixie. Pour half a cup water and blend. Blend till it is a coarse paste.





Process

1) cut the eggplant stub.
2) cut the eggplants in the middle but not all the way through, giving space enough. Give a 90degree cut again, cutting through the first half. This gives enough space to stuff the gravy.
3) stuff the gravy in the slit eggplants. Save some gravy for later.
4) put oil in a container and let is heat.
5) put the eggplant in oil and let it coat well.
6) once the eggplant starts cooking, pour the rest of the gravy on top of it and mix.
7) add salt, water and mix well.
8) cover and let it cook. Mix occasionally and let it cook till the eggplants are tender.
9) decorate it with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice.