Each time I cook mixed vegetable curry, I tend to tweak and experiment with spices. Today’s recipe is a result of one such experiment. Am quite satisfied with the end result and hence makes an appearance here. A versatile dish that makes a decent side with rice, rotis as well as dosas.

The kitchen smelt remarkably delicious with warm aromatic flavors while cooking today’s recipe, mixed vegetable kootu. The reason for the wonderful aroma were the roasted spices and lentils – asafoetida, cinnamon, bengal gram and poppy seeds that were ground to a paste with fresh coconut forming the main masala base of the kootu.

A light vegetarian stir fry dish that is flavorful, colorful, substantial and healthy. Serve the stir fried vegetables over a bed of fried noodles or steamed rice and enjoy the symphony of flavors and textures. Not to mention, your family get to eat their 5 a day portion of vegetables in a single meal.

I tried a Thai inspired sweet and savory sauce for a simple broccoli and chicken stir fry and it did not disappoint. The sauce included peanut butter that added sweetness, red chilli flakes gave a touch of spice while lemon juice provided the tang.

Yesterday, I prepared Vegetable Pulao and raita. The vegetables I use for the regular pulao are carrots, beans, peas and potatoes. I rarely use cauliflower and capsicum for pulao. I use whole spices instead of masala powder which yields an aromatic mild flavor to the rice and a combination of ghee and oil for frying the vegetables which brings out their flavor beautifully.

It doesn’t take much for me to prepare a stuffed vegetable dish. Send some brinjals or ivy gourds my way and I’ll happily stuff and cook them to feed some hungry folks until they are stuffed. Those who like tindora (kovakkai) will enjoy this recipe.

Quick and simple eggplant stir fry with few ingredients. The addition of ginger-green chilli paste and the presence of spices especially hing (asafoetida) work a subtle magic on the sauteed brinjals, deepening the flavor, making it taste divine.

Crispy Dondakaya I made this recipe on a whim. A popular dondakaya preparation usually served as part of the menu on special occasions like house warming ceremonies and weddings. Crisp, light and very subtly spiced, perfect for a gloomy waiting-for-the-rains day! My favorite, easy to make and stupendously good.   Dondakaya (Tendli, Tindora, Kovakkai, Ivy [...]

Bagara Baingan ~ Stuffed Eggplant Curry Bagara Baingan ~ Exotic eggplant at its best! One of my very favorite brinjal curry, the kind I’d serve not only my loved ones but also my close friends and guests. The vibrant stuffing has a rich unique flavor, spicy, tangy and nutty with a hint of sweetness and [...]

I have been wanting to blog this recipe ever since I posted the image of Vegetables in ginger garlic with sesame seeds in the previous Vegetable Fried Rice post. I somehow overlooked until a reader politely informed me that the recipe was long due. Vegetables in ginger garlic with sesame seeds I followed Nita Mehta’s [...]