Guttu Vankai Koora ( Stuffed Indian Eggplant Curry )

Ingredients:

Indian Eggplant - 12 to 18 (even sized)
Peanut Butter - 5 tsp
Vangi bhath powder - 5 tsp
Rice flour - 3 tsp
Pepper powder -1/2 tsp
Salt to taste.

Procedure:

• Wash the eggplants. Slit them lengthwise as as shown in the picture. Set them aside.
• Mix together peanut butter, vanghi bhath powder, rice flour and pepper powder into a paste.
• Stuff the mixed peanut butter paste into every eggplant.
• Place the eggplants in a flat bottomed pan with 2 table spoons of oil.
• Cook on medium heat for 10 minutes.
• Turn the eggplants over to cook the other side.
• Cover and cook for 5 more minutes. It's ready to be served. Goes well with steamed rice.

Tip: By using peanut butter instead of whole peanuts, you can save tons of prep time.

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Ugadi Pacchadi ( Ugadi Chutney )

Ingredients:

Raw Mango - 1
Ripe Banana (optional) - 1
Jaggery (1" pieces) - 3
Neem Flowers - a few
Tamarind - 1" ball
Pepper Powder - a pinch

Procedure:

• Soak Tamarind in a cup of hot water for 10 minutes and extract its juice.
• In the meantime cut mango and banana into small even pieces as shown.



• Pick out few neem flowers and set them aside. Grate the jaggery.
• Mix together mango pieces, banana pieces, grated jaggery, neem flowers, tamarind juice and pepper powder in a bowl. Ugadi pacchadi is ready.
  
  

Happy Ugadi Everyone!

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Green Beans Vepudu ( Whole Green Beans Curry )

Ingredients:

Whole green beans (ends cut) - 1 lb
Onion ( chopped ) - 1 medium
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp
Bread crumbs - 1 cup
Cumin ( Zeera ) - 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Chana dal - 2 tsp
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Chili powder - 1 tsp
Salt to taste.

Procedure:

• Add 1 Tbsp olive oil in a non stick pan on medium heat. When the oil is hot, add mustard.
• Once the mustard starts to sputter, add cumin, chana dal and chopped onion. Fry until onion turns translucent, about 3 minutes.
• Next add ginger garlic paste, turmeric and chili powder. Fry for another 5 minutes.
• Now add green beans and salt. Mix well, cover and cook for 12 to 15 minutes stirring occasionally.
• Next uncover and cook for another 5 minutes or until green beans are done.
• Finally add bread crumbs and mix well. Let it cook for 3 minutes. It's ready to be served.

It is usually hard to get kids to eat green beans, but this recipe all my grandchildren seem to love.

Tip: You could replace fresh green beans with frozen whole green beans. Since the ends are already cut, it saves a lot of prep time.

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Stuffed Bell Pepper

Ingredients:

Bell peppers ( colored ) - 4 to 6
Cooked pilaf - 3 to 4 cups
Ghee (or butter) - 2 tsp

Procedure:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degree Fahrenheit.
• Cut each bell-pepper in the middle to make 2 halves. If the bell pepper is too small, just cut the top off. Remove the seeds.



• Coat the cut bell peppers with ghee (or melted butter) on the outside.
• Fill each half with pilaf. I used brown rice pilaf.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 18 minutes.

Serve with any gravy curry or chutney. I used pistachio chutney.

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Plantain Stem Chutney

Ingredients:

Plantain Stem(take only middle part of the stem cut into 1" cubes) - 1 cup
Yogurt(curds) - 1 cup
Cilantro(chopped)- 1 cup
Ginger(grated)- 1" piece
Green Chili (medium) - 1
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Salt to taste.
Mustard - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
Red chili - 1
Curry leaves - a few
Ghee or oil for seasoning -1 tsp

Procedure:

• In a blender add the first seven ingredients and grind to a smooth paste.
• Add 1 tsp of ghee to a small tava on medium heat.
• Next add mustard, urad dal, red chili cut into 2 pieces and curry leaves.
• As the mustard begins to sputter, turn off the heat and add it to the ground chutney.

Its ready to be served. Goes well with dosa, idli and as a dip for pakoras.

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