Ruchii

Today, I am posting one of my all time favorite side dish/gojju with my all time favorite Vegetable, Okra/lady's finger (bendekaayi as we call in Kannada). Gojju is a combination of sour-spicy- sweet flavors all combined  and cooked  together. Tomatos, onions, brinjals, bellpeppers(Capsicum) and okras are most widely used vegetables for making this kind for curry.



Ingredients :

Okra/bendekaayi - 1 packet frozen ( use fresh tender once if available )

Tempering : Oil, mustard seeds and channadal - 1tsp each.

For spice-sour-sweet sauce :

• Red chili powder/ Sambar powder for spicyness- 1tsp ( add green chillis for more spicyness)
• Jaggery/ brown sugar for sweetness - 1tbsp.
• Salt accordingly.

Method :

1. Heat oil in wide pan, when hot add mustard seeds and channadal, when dal starts to change colour add Okra ( thaw the frozen okra before putting it in, if using fresh chop first and then add)
2. Let it cook on medium heat untill its colour changes from light to dark green ( to avoid stickness , donot turn frequently).
3. Gently turn them and let it cook through. It takes about 15 20 mins for okra to cook and loose the stickness. Once this is done.
4. Add tamarind water (squeeze tamarind, discard pulp and use the water), add more water if required and add chili powder, jaggery and salt to taste. On medium-high heat allow it to cook and let the flavors combines will. Once the curry thickens, switch off.
5. Allow it to stand for 5-10 minutes before serving. Enjoy with rice or rotis.

Tamarind for sour/tangyness - Dried tamarind soaked in water( tamarind paste can be used)

• Pineapple chopped/crushed - 1 Can (I used Del Monte with natural juice)
• Garnish - 1 spring onion

• Oil - 1tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1/2tsp
• Channadal - 1/2 tsp
• Hing - 2pinchs

• Channadal - 2 tsp
• Uraddal - 1tsp
• Cumin/jeera - 1tsp
• Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Methi seeds- 1/2 tsp
• Red chilles- 2-3
• Coconut fresh - 1tbsp
• Oil - 1tsp

Hello eveyone....I am back from chicago, had very nice time there. Visited Devon avenue and got lots of groceries. Thanks to all of you who suggested the place.

Last week when I was talking over the phone, my cousine mentioned about spring onion curry she made that day. In last 5 years living here I had brought spring onions few times but didnot used for cooking, just used as garnish on noodles. So after talking to her, got the recipe and did try it for the first time. I was very nice,light onion taste with little sourness from tomato.



So here is the recipe,

Vegetables : 2 bunch of spring onion(eerulli hoovu), 1 medium size tomato

Spices : 1tsp of sambhar powder (or red chilli powder), 1tsp of jaggery or brown sugar,

1/2 tsp of tamrind paste or about 2tsp juice of tamarind soaked in water,  Salt as per taste

Garnish :  2 tsp of fresh coconut and few spring onion( this is optional)

Seasoning :1tsp of oil and mustard seeds .



Method :

1. Heat a tsp of oil, when hot add mustard seeds. When it starts to pop add veggies.

2. Saute it for few minutes( both tomato and spring onion take less time to cook). Then add all the spices. Add water and let it cook for 10 min or so.

3. Taste it to make sure all the spice and salt are well adjusted. Finaly garnish with coconut and few sp onions.

4. Tastes good with chapathis



Enjoy !

Gojju is a combination of sour, spicy and sweet . Tomato is most widely used for making gojju. One can also use brinjal/eggplant, onion, capsicum, bittergourd for making this kind of gojju.



So here is what we need
For Tadka:
Oil 1-2 tsp, Mustard seeds ½ tsp, Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp, Channa dal 1tsp, Curry leaves few and Turmeric ½ tsp.
Veggies:
Bell Pepper - Green and Red one each, Tomato - one small, Onion- one small.
Also need:
Jaggery about 2 tsp, Curry/sambar powder (or chilli powder) about 1tsp, Tamarind about 1 tsp, Gram flour/chickpea flour(I use this instead of coconut to thicken the gravy) and Salt to taste. Few cilantro leaves for garnish.
(All these above ingredients can be added more or less according to one’s taste).

.

Method:

1. Take oil in a pan, when its hot enough add mustard, cumin, turmeric, channa dal and curry leaves.
2. When channa dal starts to change color, add veggies and salt cover and cook for about 5 mins.
3. Then add curry powder, tamarind, jaggery. Mix gram flour with water and add this to the veggies. Lastly add salt.
4. Cover and cook on medium-low heat for about 10 mins or until the rawness from the curry powder is gone.

Garnish it with few cilantro leaves. Gojju can be served with chapathi, dosa, idly, rotti or even rice. Enjoy!