Monday, July 20, 2009

Sawan ka Mahina- Vegetarian food month

Well, It is July and according to hindu calender is the month of Sawan and is going to be a vegetarian month for me. Now that is tough....I am out of ideas for cooking everyday meals. The whole thing is going to last for a month. Eating veggies everyday and what's more you are expected to provide varieties to hubby dear. :(
Now that is my problem because he has not asked me to not cook or eat mutton/chicken/fish/eggs. Rather he is eating non veg khana even after my instructions to not do so. He can't live "HAPPILY" without it for more than a day or two.
But head bent as I am to not eat non veg during this time, am left scratching my head every time I have to plan dinner/lunch menu -whatever....
I have been making Aloo Patal Dum for Sunday lunch for the past two weeks and the husband has been eating the same without a word-- gave me the idea that it must be definitely good enough to post here.
Patal belongs to the gourd family of vegetables and here is what I could find about the vegetable:
Trichosanthes dioica is a good source of carbohydrates, vitamin A, and vitamin C. It also contains major nutrients and trace elements (magnesium, potassium, copper, sulfur, and chlorine) which are needed in small quantities, for playing essential roles in human physiology. (source wikipedia)

Aloo Patal Dum/Aloo Parwal Dum/Potato and Pointed Gourd Curry

Ingredients
Potatoes(medium sized ) - 4 cut into cubes
Patal/parwal/pointed gourd- 8 scraped and cut into halves
Onion- 1 grated
Bay leaf- 2
Dhania Powder(Coriander)- 3tsps
Jeera Powder(Cumin)- 2tsps
Kali mirch(Black pepper) powder -1/2tsps
Garam Masala Powder-1/tsps
Cumin Seeds-1/2tsps
Dried Whole Red Chilly- 2
Ginger paste-3tsps
Garlic paste - 1tsps
Haldi- 2tsps
Salt -2 tsps or as per taste
Oil - 6tbsps I usually use mustard oil

Method
Heat oil in the pressure cooker.
Shallow fry the patal/parwal and potatoes each at a time
Remove from oil and keep aside.
In the remaining oil add the bay leaf, red chilly and cumin seeds.
Add the onion paste and fry till the color changes to pink
Add the Dhania, jeera, kalimirch powder, Ginger garlic paste, salt and haldi
Fry for sometime or till oil starts separating from the mixture
Add the potatoes and patal/parwal and mix
Add 2 cups of water, sprinkle the garam masala powder and cover the lid of the cooker
let it pressure cook for 5 mins. The cooker should not whistle/release pressure in this time.
Remove from heat and wait till the pressure is released
Open lid and add 1tsp of ghee for the flavor
Serve with plain Rice along with Dal or serve with vegetable pulao.

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