This curry is very easy to make. The curry powder and the lemongrass do the work for you, really. They make the curry wonderfully aromatic and tasty. A lot of Vietnamese curries have finely minced lemongrass in them. Sometimes lemongrass can be fibrous, so I prefer to leave it whole in the curry, and then fish it out before serving. Just make sure you give the lemongrass stalk a good smash, to break it open and release all its flavors.
 Vietnamese curry powder is easily available at Asian markets. Fubonn, the Asian store I frequent, has several brands of Vietnamese curry powder, and I’m spoiled for choice! Pick a Vietnamese “Madras” curry powder (Ca Ri Ni An Do) and you can’t go wrong.

You can also order Vietnamese curry powder online.

Vietnamese Potato and Green Bean Curry

Serves about 4

Ingredients
2 tablespoons oil
1 small onion, diced
1 lemon grass stalk
2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon Vietnamese curry powder (Ca Ri Ni An Do or Madras Curry Powder). Available at Asian markets or online.
12 oz yukon gold potatoes, peeled and chopped
5 oz green beans (about 1 heaping cup when chopped). Substitute with 1 heaping cup of broccoli florets
1 cup coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon sugar, optional
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro for garnish

Method
1. Heat oil in a large saucepan. Add the onions and cook on medium heat till slightly browned. While the onion is cooking, prepare the lemongrass – slice off the top and bottom of the lemongrass stalk, cut it into 2 pieces, and using a mallet, smash the two lemongrass sticks in order to release flavor. Set aside.
2. When the onion is golden brown, add the garlic and stir for about 1 minute.
3. Add the smashed lemongrass and curry powder and stir for 30 seconds.
4. Throw in the chopped potatoes, salt, and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer covered till the potatoes are cooked but still holding their shape.
5. Now add the beans or broccoli, coconut milk and sugar. Cook on medium heat till the beans/broccoli are tender. If the curry is too thick, add up to 1 cup water.
7. Fish out and discard the lemongrass pieces before serving.
6. Garnish with cilantro. Serve hot with rice, noodles or baguette.

One of my favorite dishes that I had on a recent trip to Sri Lanka was this cashew curry. The hotel chef kindly agreed to show me how he makes it and I’m so excited to share the recipe with you! But first, here are some photos from my trip. (Make sure you also check out part 1 of my Sri Lanka trip with a two ingredient coconut roti)

Breakfast – My favorite meal in Sri Lanka

Red rice string hoppers, coconut roti, and potato curry with tea for breakfast

Hoppers for breakfast - fermented rice crepes

Curry leaf hoppers

Sweet string hoppers filled with coconut

Fresh pandan leaves add a herbal flavor to Sri Lankan cooking

Vegetable stuffed roti demo

Welcome drinks at Vil Uayana - coconut water, juice, iced tea

Climbing Sigiriya Lion Rock

Sigiriya lion rock

Climbing the Sigiriya rock, all 600 feet!

View from the top

At the end of the climb we treated ourselves to Old Arrack - distilled coconut toddy

Sri Lankan Cashew Curry Recipe

This cashew curry uses soaked cashews and coconut milk, spiced with sweet cinnamon and cardamom, spicy green chillies, herby pandan and unraosted Sri Lankan curry powder. Unroasted Sri Lankan curry powder is lighter in color than the roasted kind, and is often used in vegetable curries and coconut milk based dishes. Unroasted or raw Sri Lankan curry powder contains coriander, fennel, cumin, cinnamon as the predominant spices. Sri Lankan curry powder is availableonline

Frozen pandan leaves and unroasted Sri Lankan curry powder

Pandan leaves are used in Sri Lanka, much like curry leaves are used in India. Pandan, also called screw pine, is a tropical tree. Its leaves are used in Sri Lankan, Malaysian and Thai cooking. In India Pandan is called Kewra, and although not used in cooking, it is used to flavor drinks. Pandan has a wonderful, herby, grassy flavor.

Making this cashew curry is easy. Just sauté the aromatics and onion and garlic, then add the spice powders, followed by soaked cashew, tomato and coconut milk. Then cook everything till the cashew soften. Remember, the longer you soak the cashews, the quicker they will cook. For cashew curry, never add salt while cooking. Salt won’t let the cashews cook quickly. Always add salt right at the end for cashew curry.

Serve Sri Lankan cashew curry with white, brown or red rice. It also goes well with string hoppers. Sometimes I even serve this curry with quinoa!

Sri Lankan Cashew Curry Recipe
serves about 4

Ingredients
3/4 cup raw cashew nuts
1 tablespoon oil
1/4 teaspoon black mustard seeds, optional
6 curry leaves
2 one inch pieces of pandan leaf, optional. Available frozen at Asian markets.
1 Thai green chili, slit
1 cardamom pod, cracked open (gently smash it with the back of a spoon)
1 thin sliver of cinnamon
2 shallots, chopped
1 fat garlic clove, chopped
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon unroasted Sri Lankan curry powder, available online
1/4 teaspoon pepper powder, optional
1 small tomato, chopped. I used 6 cherry tomatoes instead.
1 cup coconut milk

Method

1. Place the cashews in a bowl and cover with hot water. Let them soak for 1 hour. Drain and set aside.

2. Heat oil in a saucepan, and add mustard seeds if using. When they pop, add in the curry leaves, pandan leaves, green chili, cardamom and cinnamon. Stir for 30 seconds. Add the shallots and garlic and cook for about a minute, or till the shallots are soft.

3. Add the turmeric, curry powder and pepper powder. Give it a quick stir. Then add the soaked and drained cashews and tomato nd stir to coat. Then pour in coconut milk and 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil. Cook on a lively simmer till the cashews are very soft – about 40 minutes. If the curry is too thick, add more water 1/4 cup at a time and boil again.
4. Stir in salt and serve hot with rice.

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Sri Lankan Curry Powder and Tea Giveaway

I’ve bought back some curry powders and tea from my trip and will be sending it to one lucky winner!
One randomly picked winner will receive
1. A 100g packet of roasted Sri Lankan curry powder
2. A 100g packet of unfrosted Sri Lankan curry powder
3. Basilur tea flavored with papaya and marigold, in a book shaped tin

Enter below! US and Canada shipping only! a Rafflecopter giveaway

Everyday Mixed Vegetable Curry Recipe

serves about 4
Ingredients
2 large ripe tomatoes
1 tablespoon oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 green chili, slit, optional
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 heaping teaspoon ground coriander
1/8th teaspoon chili powder, or more according to taste
1/2 cup diced carrot (small cubes)*
1/2 cup chopped green beans*
1 cup chopped cauliflower florets*
Salt
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

*Chop all the vegetables small, and keep them the same size so they cook evenly

Method
1. Core the tomatoes and puree them in a blender, using as little water as possible. Blend into a very smooth puree and set aide.
2. Heat oil in a saucepan. Add the cumin seeds. When they sizzle, add the green chili and cook for 10 seconds. Turn the heat down to low.
3. Sprinkle the turmeric, cumin, coriander and chili powder on the oil. Immediately pour in the pureed tomatoes plus 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Then reduce heat enough to maintain a lively simmer. Cook till the sauce thickens just a little, and gets glossy, about 7 minutes.
4. Now throw in the vegetables and salt and cook covered till vegetables are soft.
5. If the sauce is too thick, add up to one cup of water to thin it down and boil for another minute. This is not a thick curry, it should be a little thin.
6. Garnish with cilantro. Serve with rotis.

To commemorate my paternal grandmother’s first year death anniversary, I am posting a series of my grandmothers favorite recipes. This potato kurma recipe is second in the series. Read my first post in the series here.

My grandmother with my father

My grandmother with me

Of everyone in our family, I think I spent the most time with with my grandmother. She raised me, I shared a room with her, and went with her every where. I was always by her side. And I learnt a lot from this amazing woman just from tagging along. “Don’t depend on anyone. You must learn to do things yourself”, she’d say again and again. Every time I traveled with her, which was a lot, she would teach me again and again how to be independent. Through her, I experienced the joy that comes from not depending. As early as 10 years old, she’d make me check in at airports. There I’d be, not even reaching the counter, checking in for the two of us. It made my 10 year old self feel empowered and confident.

My grandmother also often said it was important to learn to cook and I think its one of there reasons I took an interest in cooking early one. (Ironically, she never cooked herself!). She relished this potato kuruma, often having her cook make it for dinner with fresh chappatis. This kurma, made with coconut milk and topped with fried onions, is rich and comforting. And the home made masala which is the flavor base of this kuruma is well worth the effort.

Take care not to overly brown the chills and the spices in the masala. If you over toast the spices, the kuruma will taste bitter. The trick is to stir constantly so the spices toast evenly. Remove the spices from the heat as soon as they smell fragrant.

Potato Kurma with Fried Onion Recipe

serves about 4

Ingredients
For the Masala
1 teaspoon oil
6-8 dried red chilis
2 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon uncooked rice, optional

For the Kuruma
1lb yukon gold potatoes
1/4 cup oil
3/4 cup finely diced yellow onion
6 curry leaves
Salt
1 cup coconut milk

For the topping
2 tablespoons oil
1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 cup thinly sliced onions or shallots
1 dried chile
6 curry leaves

Method
1. First make the masala. Heat oil in a small skillet, and add chilis. Cook them on medium heat just till they turn color, about 45 seconds. The chills should still be fairly red in color, not black. Remove the chiles and place on a plate.
2. To the same pan, add the remaining masala ingredients. (No need to add extra oil). Fry till they are fragrant and lightly browned, about 45 seconds.
3.Using a spice grinder, grind the chiles and spices using a little water, into a thick paste. Set aside.
4. Now make the kuruma. Peel and cube the potatoes. You should have approximately 5 handfuls of cubed potatoes.
5. In a large wok or saucepan, heat the oil and add onions and curry leaves. Cook on medium heat till the onion is soft, about 1 minute.
6. Add the potato cubes and cook, stirring for about 5 minutes.
7. And the ground masala paste and salt. Stir well.
8. Add enough water to cover the potatoes (about 2 cups). Bring to a boil. Then cover the wok with a lid, and let the potatoes cook on a lively simmer till the potatoes are soft but still holding their shape. Then remove the lid, and continue cooking till most the water is absorbed.
10. Now pour in coconut milk. Stir and turn off heat.
11. While the potatoes are cooking, work in the topping – heat oil in a small saucepan, add mustard seeds and let them pop. Then add all remaining topping ingredients and sauté on medium heat till the onions are browned.
12. Top kurma with the fried onion topping. Serve kuruma with rotis or naan.

If you read my previous post on my homemade curry powder recipe, you are already anticipating this post! This is a pumpkin and spinach curry recipe using my home made curry powder. The curry powder takes just 12 minutes to make and there is nothing like freshly roasted and ground spices in your curry!

The curry powder is a really simple recipe using just coriander, cumin, fennel seeds, dried chili and turmeric. But heres a great trick to get two layers of flavor from this simple curry powder – add most the curry powder to the pumpkin and cook it till the pumpkin is done – this will give the spices a mellow, rounded flavor. Then, add a little more curry powder right at the end of cooking; this will add another layer of fresh spice taste.

Any yellow flesh winter squash will work with this recipe. Today I’ve used pie pumpkin. But I often make this recipe with butternut squash, which my husband and I both love.  You can also use potato or sweet potato, or mixed vegetables.

Making this easy vegan curry during the holidays? Sprinkle some dried cranberries over the curry when its done for added sweetness and a festive look.

How to to peel a winter squash like butternut, kabocha or a pumpkin

1. Using a sharp chef’s knife, cut the squash or pumpkin in half.
2. Then using a spoon, scoop out the seeds and thready bits from the cavity.
3. Lay the squash or pumpkin cut side down. Using one hand to hold it down and stabilize it, take a sharp, preferably serrated knife, and carefully slice off the skin.
4. Then cube the squash.

Pumpkin  and Spinach Curry Recipe

Serves about 4

Ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
¼ teaspoon black mustard seeds, optional
¼ teaspoon Cumin seeds
6 Curry leaves, optional
1 medium onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 recipe homemade curry powder (5 tablespoons), see this post for recipe
4 cups peeled and cubed (1 ½ inch cubes) pie pumpkin or butternut squash or kabocha squash. See post above on how to peel squash.
2 cups water
1 cup coconut milk (about half a 14oz can)
3 cups tightly packed baby spinach

Method

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan and add mustard seeds if using. When they start to pop, add the cumin seeds and curry leaves and stir till fragrant, about 30 seconds.
2. Add onions and cook till they are light brown
3. Then throw in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds or till fragrant.
4. Sprinkle 4 tablespoons of curry powder, stir, then add the peeled, cubed squash or pumpkin and salt.
5. Pour in 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to a lively simmer, cover the pot and let the squash or pumpkin cook till it is fork tender, about 20 minutes.  If the water is drying up before the pumpkin is done, add more water, half cup at a time. If there is too much water in the pot, boil it uncovered, till there is only about 3/4 cup water remaining.
6. When the squash/pumpkin is cooked, add the coconut milk and remaining 1 tablespoon of curry powder. Stir and bring back to a boil.
7. When the curry boils, add the spinach and cook just till the spinach wilts, about 1 minute.
8. Optional – for added sweetness, garnish the curry with some dried cranberries, or stir in up to one teaspoon of sugar.
9. Serve hot with rice, roti, bread or quinoa.

Curry powder doesn’t have to be complicated to make at home. This one has just 5 ingredients and tastes fabulous in coconut milk based curries. Coriander seeds, cumin and fennel are the basic flavors in this curry powder. Dried red chilies add heat and turmeric gives it color. All you do it toast everything in a pan and then grind. Very easy to make at home!

Look at any store bought curry powder, and you’ll see that coriander is one of the main ingredients. It adds an earthiness, and an unmistakable Indian flavor to curry powder. The cumin in this recipe adds a toasty, smokiness. And fennel seeds brighten up the curry powder.

The ratio of coriander:cumin:fennel is 2:1:1. In other words, if you use 2 tablespoons of coriander seeds, you will need 1 tablespoon of cumin seeds and 1 tablespoon of fennel seeds.

Homemade Curry Powder Recipe

Yields about 5 tablespoons

Ingredients
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
2 or more dried red chilies, broken up into small pieces.
½ teaspoon ground turmeric

Method

1. Place coriander, cumin, fennel seeds and broken up red chilies (discard stems) in a medium pan. Use a pan large enough so that the spices are spread in a thin layer.
2. Toast the spices on medium-low  heat, shaking the pan often, till the spices turn color and get fragrant,  about 12 minutes.
3. Cool the roasted spices. Then using a spice grinder, grind into a fine powder. Add in the turmeric and blend once more till everything is combined.
4. Store in an airtight container for 2 months

Basic Curry Recipe Using Homemade Curry Powder

Serves about 4

Ingredients
Choose 2-3 of the following: 1 medium onion diced, 4 cloves of garlic minced, 1 large tomato diced, 2 teaspoons minced ginger.
1 recipe curry powder (5 tablespoons), see above for recipe
4-5 cups vegetables (Zucchini, mushrooms, cauliflower, broccoli, carrot, spinach, potato, sweet potato, winter squash etc)
1-2 cups water
1 cup coconut milk

Method
Sauté your choice of onion/garlic/ginger/tomato in oil. Add the curry powder and stir for 30 seconds.

Add vegetables, salt and water and cook till vegetables are tender. (Keep in mind that different vegetables cook in different times, so you will have to add the quicker cooking vegetables later).

Stir in coconut milk, bring back to a boil. Turn off heat as soon as the curry boils.

Serve hot with rice, quinoa, roti or bread.

This is a basic formula; vary the recipe to your liking.

For a pumpkin and spinach curry recipe using this curry powder, see this post.

If you’ve ever wondered what’s the best curry powder brand, look no further! I’ve taste tested a bunch of curry powders and present to you my favorites and how to use each one of them. This also kicks off my curry series – a month of easy curry recipe posts using, of course, curry powders! I will post one recipe a week for a curry from around the world, and also post a recipe for how to make your own curry powder.

But first, let me make something clear. There is no such thing as curry powder. Not in India at least. The first time I ever heard of a curry powder was outside India! In my own language, Tamil, the word “Kari” simply means either vegetables (“kai kari”) or meat.

Every Indian dish that requires powdered spices uses a blend that is unique to that dish. So there is no standard curry powder in India. (Just like how there is no standard curry in India). An Indian cook will roast and powder whole spices for each dish, specifically for that dish. A cook in India may also use a combination of different already ground spices.

So what exactly is curry powder? It’s a western, British invention. It is a blend of different powdered spices like turmeric, chili, coriander, cumin, fennel, cinnamon etc.  Instead of the various spice powders used in Indian cooking, you can use an already blended curry powder.

As inauthentic as curry powder is, I like its convenience. There are some great blends out there, and are usually the only ‘spice’ you need when making a dish. So curry powders are an easy shortcut and I like using them. They are especially handy for making quick dishes with great curry flavor. 

The Best Curry Powders

(in my opinion)

Note: This curry powder taste test is by no means exhaustive. I know there are many brands in the market that I haven’t tried. And I haven’t even addressed Thai and other curry powders/pastes/blends etc. I will reserve them for a future post.

Frontier Indian Curry Powder

Predominant flavors are roasted cumin and lemon peel. Light, and fresh tasting.
Available in some grocery stores and online
Use in
-          Light curries
-          Summer vegetables
-          Salad dressing

Recipes – Zucchini cauliflower curry , Curried tofu salad with Jicama

S&B Oriental Curry Powder

A mild, well balanced, well rounded blend.

Predominant flavors are turmeric, coriander, garlic.
Available in most grocery stores, Asian markets and online
Use in
-          Japanese curries
-          Tofu dishes
-          Recipes involving fruit and or a little sweetness

Recipes- Tofu and broccoli curry, Khao soi curry noodles

Penzey’s Hot Curry Powder

Spicy, with predominant chili and coriander flavor
Available at Penzey’s stores and online
Use in
-          Coconut milk based curries
-          Lentils, beans
-          Paneer or tofu

Recipes- Curried kale and white bean patties, Chickpea bunny chow

McCormick Gourmet Collection Curry Powder

Savory taste, with predominating onion flavor.
Available in grocery stores and online
Use in
-          Roasted vegetables
-          Pasta dishes
-          Root vegetable dishes

Recipes- Potato curry

Kitchen King by Badshah

Spicy, intense and complex. This blend is also made by MDH and Everest brands.
Available in Indian grocery stores and online
Use in
-          Rich sauces and gravies
-          Nut and cream based curries
-          Lentils

Recipes- Masala stuffed okra (use instead of the masala in the recipe)

My husband loves this easy zucchini and cauliflower curry and requests it at least once a week. I will vary the vegetables depending on what’s available and what we are in the mood for. I’ve made this curry with eggplant, green beans and potatoes. I’ve made it with pumpkin and kale. I’ve also made it with cubed paneer,  green peppers and baby corn. This recipe is versatile!

A make ahead tip: Because I make this curry so often (did I mention we love it?!), I’ve started making the curry sauce in bulk and freezing it. It’s easy. Once you are done with step 5 in the recipe below, just spoon the curry sauce into ice cube trays and freeze it. When solid, put the frozen curry cubes in freezer bags and return to the freezer.

You now have a delicious vegetarian, vegan curry base sitting in your freezer to pull out anytime and heat up along with vegetables of your choice!

I prefer the taste and convenience of canned tomatoes for this recipe. If you want to use fresh tomatoes, core them, and puree them in a blender. You will need 3 cups freshly pureed tomatoes + about 1 cup water. If the fresh tomatoes make a tart curry, you will want to add a little sugar at the end of cooking.

My favorite tomatoes to use for this curry:
-          Muir Glen fire roasted diced tomatoes
-          San Marzano crushed tomatoes
-          Del Monte diced tomates with basil, garlic and oregano

And the curry powder I used is Frontier Indian curry powder from Whole Foods, which is mild, very fragrant, tasty and has a hint of lemon peel. If you use a stronger curry powder, you may want to use less.

Easy Zucchini and Cauliflower Curry Recipe

serves 3-4

Ingredients
1 ½ tablespoons Oil
½ teaspoon Cumin seeds, optional
A pinch of asafetida, optional
½ large red onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons curry powder
One 14 oz can of diced or crushed tomatoes. I like San Marzano or Muir Glen.
2 zucchinis, about 12 oz
6 cauliflower florets (about 1 heaping cup of florets)
1 carrot
¼ cup coconut milk
Chopped cilantro or mint for garnish

Method
1.Heat oil in large sauté pan. Add cumin seeds if using. When they sizzle, add the asafetida if using.

2. Immediately add chopped onions. Cook on medium heat till the onions are lightly browned.

3. While the onions are cooking, puree the tomatoes. Place the canned tomatoes in a blender. Fill the empty tomato can with water, pour this into the blender as well. Puree well. You should have about 30 oz of puree now. Set aside.

4. When the onions are browned, add minced garlic and stir for 30 seconds.

5. Add curry powder and stir another 10 seconds. Then pour in pureed tomatoes and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-high, partially cover the pan with a lid and let the sauce simmer for about 15 minutes or till the sauce thickens a little. Careful, the sauce will bubble and splatter.

6. While the sauce is cooking, prepare the vegetables. Cut the zucchini into 3/4^th inch rounds. Peel and cut the carrot into ½ inch pieces. Break up the cauliflower into florets.

7. Toss the vegetables in the curry sauce, cover and cook till the zucchini is soft, about 10 minutes.

Turn off heat and stir in the coconut milk. For an extra creamy curry, add 1/2 cup coconut milk instead of the 1/4 stated in this recipe.

Garnish with chopped cilantro or mint. Serve hot with brown rice or roti or pita bread. My grandmothers multi colored raita goes well with this dish.

I have been reading Radhika’s mouth watering blog,  Food for 7 stages right since its inception. I am excited to invite her to guest blog today, because her recipe for aloo gobi (Indian potato and cauliflower curry) tart is ingenious. We usually eat al00 gobi with rotis, but radhika puts this classic curry on a puff pastry shell to make it a spicy, decadent meal.

And make sure you read my travel posts, about my vegetarian road trip across america part1 and part2

You need inspiration and then some motivation to pursue a task. When it comes to blogging I draw the inspiration from bloggers like Sala of Veggie Belly. Her eye candy pics, storytelling and her love for traveling makes me feel connected with her though I don’t know her personally. But that is what a good blog and good blogger do to you.

When I came to know that Sala was looking for bloggers to guest post whilst she was traveling across the country, I immediately wrote to her. And she graciously accepted my request to guest post in her beautiful blog. Though it is hard to express my gratitude through words, I thank Sala wholeheartedly for giving me this opportunity to write this guest post in Veggie Belly. 

The tree in front of my home warned us well ahead of time about the changing season. Though I am happy to see those bright orange leaves am not really prepared to face the  aftermath. The thought of unpacking the long forgotten boxes filled with our jackets and winter clothes makes me nervous. I couldn’t believe that one brutal winter can change my love for this season. However, I have to accept the fact and move forward. Before the temperature drops further I have to move all my plants indoor, paint our deck and rearrange my home. Sigh. 

As there is always a blessing in disguise, it is the right time to turn on my oven and get started with baking again. The nip in the air made me crave for something hot yet spicy and I got reminded of the gluten free fusion tart I baked few months ago. Though I was not very happy with the tart crust as the sweetness of almond meal was overpowering the better half seemed to like it. And Aloo Gobhi tart it is. This time I wanted to whip up something real quick and I didn’t have patience to make the tart crust from the scratch. Ding… The idea of using puff pastry popped in my mind and viola I had a delicious savory tart to share it with you all. Flaky buttery crust forms a perfect base for this spiced Aloo Gobhi Masala and I would never think of using another crust recipe. Yumm.

There are very few vegetables that marry well with each other. Cauliflower (Gobi) and Potatoes (Aloo) are the right candidates for this perfect marriage. When these two vegetables are blended together with the right spices they create wonders and Aloo Gobhi is one such popular dish from India. The very thought of combining this popular curry with flaky puff pastry makes me weak at the knees. If you are a savory lover like me, go ahead and make this Aloo Gobi tart. I am sure you will enjoy this fusion savory tart as much as my family did. 

Aloo Gobi Tart Recipe

serves 2-3

Ingredients
2 cup Cauliflower florets
2 Potatoes (medium size)
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped ginger
1/2 cup finely chopped Onion
1/4 cup finely chopped Tomato
3 teaspoon Canola Oil (or any cooking oil)
1/4 teaspoon Cumin Seeds / Jeera
2 Cardamon pods
1/4 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
1/2 teaspoon Chili Powder
1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri Chili Powder or red chili powder
1/2 teaspoon Cumin Powder
1/2 teaspoon Coriander Powder
1/4 teaspoon Garam masala
2 teaspoon Yogurt
2 cup + 4 teaspoon Water
Salt to taste
1 Puff Pastry Sheet (preferably Pepperidge farm), substitute with home made or store bought pie crust
1/4 tablespoon Butter (Optional)
2 tsp Dried fenugreek leaves / Kasuri Methi (Optional)

Method
 Preheat oven to 400 F.

Line a baking tray with wax/parchment paper or foil. Brush it with butter/oil. Place 1 frozen puff pastry sheet on it and allow it to thaw.

Wash cauliflower florets. In a sauce pan, add 2 cup of water, 1/2 tsp salt. Bring it to boil. Turn off and add the cauliflower florets. Let it stand for couple of minutes. This step will cleanse the cauliflower.

In another sauce pan, boil Potatoes until it is 95% cooked (fork tender). I prefer to steam the potatoes. I cut them into equal size chunks and put it in my steamer for 5-6 minutes.

In a wok/kadai, add oil. When it is hot add cumin seeds and allow it to sizzle. Add cardamon, finely chopped ginger. Add onion. Saute until it turns translucent, for 2-3 minutes on medium flame.

Then add tomato, 1/2 tsp salt and saute for another 3 minutes or until it becomes mushy. Add turmeric powder, chili powder, kashmiri chili powder, saute. Add 2-4 tsp water to prevent it from sticking.

Add cumin powder, coriander powder and saute. Add 2 tsp yogurt, potato and cauliflower. Mix well. Adjust salt as per taste.

Then add garam masala, mix and close the kadai with a lid and let it simmer for couple of minutes. This will allow the flavors to marry well. Do not forget to stir in between to avoid sticking to the pan.

Open the lid, if there is any liquid left cook for couple of minutes until the water evaporates. Turn off and allow it to cool.

Place the baking tray in oven and bake the puff pastry sheet for 10 minutes. Remove it from the oven and reduce the temperature to 350 F.

Spread the Aloo Gobhi Masala on the tart. Add few swirls of butter and bake for another 10-15 minutes.

Serve it hot.

I am a huge fan of Sala’s gorgeous photographs and wonderful writing as much as I am her warm wonderful personality. When I heard that she was going on a cross country road trip and was wanting guest posts for her awesome blog Veggie Belly,  I sent off a mail to her saying I would love to guest post for her lovely blog, although I have only a few days of packing left to do to head off to India myself! Yes am so excited and just cannot wait to be  home. Am especially longing to introduce my little monkey to my grandmother who is just waiting to meet her first great-grand son!

I was thrilled when Sala very kindly said she would love if I did. Thank you Sala! I hope you are enjoying your trip. Since Sala loves Kerala food, I am sharing one of my favourite everyday Kerala dishes, Red Moong and Butternut Squash in Coconut curry (Van Payar Mathanga Eriserry). It is a simple yet comforting and delicious. And perfect for the transition to the fall season, although here in California we still have a few weeks of intense summer left!

While I come from a Syrian Christian family of big meat eaters I also love my veggies and lentils and am married to a lentil lover as well. T can go for weeks on just cherupayar or dal and for everyday eating we are most happy with such simple fare.

Eriserry is a typical Kerala lentil dish and is often part of the Onam Sadhya or harvest festival that happens in the month of September. In Kerala it is usually made with a variety of pumpkin available there, although here I make it with squash or even sweet potatoes. Traditionally fresh coconut is ground into a paste but I use the convenient frozen shredded coconut that is easily available in most Indian grocery stores here. Of course there is a difference in taste but this makes it a very easy dish to make.

Red Moong and Butternut Squash Eriserry Recipe (Van Payar Mathanga Eriserry)

serves 4-6

Ingredients
1 cup dry red moong beans or cow peas  (van payar)
2 cups butternut quash peeled and chopped (you can also use sweet potatoes. But mathanga or Indian pumpkin is traditional)
1-2 tablespoons coconut oil or canola oil
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes or 3/4 tsp chilli powder-3/4
4-5 curry leaves
1 medium onion, chopped
2-4 cloves garlic, sliced thin (optional)
1 cup coconut Milk
1/4 cup shredded coconut. Do not substitute desiccated coconut 
Salt to taste

Method
Wash the red moong beans or cow peas and leave to soak in water while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. You can also soak them overnight so that they cook faster.

Pressure cook the beans with 2.5 cups of water and salt until they start to become soft ( about 1 whistle and 7 mins on simmer). Once the pressure has released, open the pressure cooker and add the squash and cook for about 2 more whistles until the beans are soft and the squash is fork tender.

If you don’t have a pressure cooker, you can just cook beans and squash in a deep pot instead, but this will take longer.

Meanwhile in a seperate pan or skillet heat the oil and add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds and let them splutter
Now add the turmeric powder, chilli flakes and curry leaves and the chopped onion and garlic if using and stir occasionally until the onions are translucent and starting to turn brown.

Add the shredded coconut and saute until the coconut turns lightly golden.

Add this to the cooked beans and stir well to combine. Heat and let it come to a boil for about 5 mins. Reduce the heat to low and add the coconut milk and let it simmer for about 5 mins. Taste to check the salt and add more if required. Do not let it come to a boil after adding the coconut milk as the coconut milk will curdle.

Serve hot with rice, fried pappadam and pickle. For extra points, serve some sweet payasam for dessert!