Eggplant Gojju

Badanekai gojju: (Eggplant / Badnekai / Brinjal)

Inspired by R's recipe. When I was not feeling well, R made this gojju armed with no recipe. Thats right, R did not want me to give any instructions but wanted to be creative in the kitchen. The recipe turned out yummy. Below is my effort to recreate R's creative recipe. R liked it, now its your turn to try this recipe and let me know how it turned out.

Ingredients:

Eggplant - 1 big bulb

Onion - 2

Tomato - 2

Oil - 3 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Curry powder - 1/2 tsp

Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

Tamarind paste - 1 tsp or (1 marble size, soaked and squeeze out juice)

Coriander for garnishing

Salt

Directions:

1. In a wide shallow pan heat oil and splutter mustard seeds in the oil.

2. Fry chopped onions in the pan for 2- 3 mins or until they are translucent.

3. Next add chopped eggplant and fry for 3-5 mins.

4. After the eggplant is soft, add chopped tomatoes, curry powder, chilli powder, turmeric, tamarind paste & salt. Stir this to mix all the contents and add 1/2 cup water and close the lid and let it cook for 5-8 mins on low flame.

5. Bring the gojju to the below consistency and serve hot with chapathis.

Bisi Bele Bath

One of my favorite rice dish. Also today is one of those special days that reminds you how young you were before this day. Yes!! its my birthday and thought of treating myself with some nice dish. If Mom was here today, she would have cooked all my favorite dishes. Miss you Mom. Anyway..celebrated with Bisi bele bath with kheer.

Ingredients
1 ½ cup – Bele ( Toor Dal)
2 cup – Rice
½ cup – Frozen peas
½ cup – Frozen cut beans
½ cup – Frozen Lima beans
½ cup – Bell pepper (Capsicum)
½ cup – Carrot
¼ cup – Cashews
¼ cup – groundnuts (peanuts)
½ tsp – turmeric
10 Curry leaves
½ - chopped Onion
¼ cup – Oil
½ tsp – Hing (Asafoetida)
2 Tblsp – Bisi Bele Bath (BBB) powder (MTR or homemade)
4 tsp – Ghee (Clarified butter)

Mixed Veggies

Directions:
1. Cook rice separately and keep it ready.

2. Pressure cook the Toor Dal or Bele with 2 tsp oil until it just done but not mushy.

3. In a deep vessel heat 2 tsp oil and sauté chopped onions.

4. Add turmeric and all the vegetables and fry for 1 minute.

5. Add the cooked toor dal/bele, cashews, peanuts, curry leaves and cook until the vegetables are done.

6. Add salt, BBB powder. ( Mix the BBB powder in little water and then pour into the mixture to avoid lumps)

7. Let the powder get cooked for another 10 mins.

8. While the above mix sits on a low flame, take a small pan and heat 2 tsp oil.
Add mustard, red chillies, Asafoetida/hing and pour this tadka to into the bele mixture.

9. Add jaggery, ghee and cooked rice to get the below consistency

10. Serve hot with raita, pickle or chips.