Spinach Tofu Stir Fry

Ingredients:

3 scallions (finely chopped)

garlic (6 cloves)

ginger (1 tsp)

frozen spinach (6oz)

tofu cubes 10 cubes

1 tbsp chilli sauce

2 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp soy sauce

Protocol:

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a saucepan till it is smoking (30 seconds or so).

Place the tofu in this saucepan and toss till it is lightly browned. Set aside.

Heat the rest of the oil in a separate saucepan. Add scallions, garlic and ginger. Heat till they are lightly browned. Add in chilli sauce, spinach and tofu. Saute briefly, adding soy sauce.

Serve hot over rice.

Kovakkai poriyal

Ingredients:

25-30 ivy gourds (kovakkai in tamil)

2.5 tbsp sambhar powder

1 tbsp oil

1 tsp minced ginger

1/2 an onion (finely chopped)

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp chilli powder

1/2 tsp turmeric

salt to taste

Protocol:

Cut ivy gourd vertically into 4 parts. Place on a plate and toss with sambhar powder to lightly coat the gourd. Set aside for 30 minutes. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat and add cumin seads, once the seeds start sputtering add ginger and onions and saute for 1-2 minutes till onions turn golden brown. Add ivy gourd coated with sambhar powder, chilli powder, turmeric and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring to mix the masalas with the gourd. Serve hot with rotis or rice.

Tip: When picking ivy gourd, you want to go for the shorter thinner ones. The larger squat ones tend to have a harder peel and be red on the inside.

Schezuan Green beans

Ingredients:

1 lb green beans

1 tbsp olive oil

1 scallion finely chopped

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp minced garlic

1 tbsp minced ginger

1 tbsp chilli sauce

3 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp vinegar

1 tsp cornstarch

2 tbsp water

Protocol:

Break the ends of green beans.

Heat olive oil in saucepan and add green beans. Toss quickly to coat with oil and cook till green beans are tender but don't let them lose crunch. Make sure that some caramelization (apperance of brown spots occur)

Remove from heat and set aside.

In another saucepan heat sesame oil, till it is smoking hot, add ginger, garlic and scallion. Lightly cook. Add chilli sauce vinegar and soy sauce to this mixture, mixing gently. Once all the flavors are melded, mix together corn starch and water and add to the mixture.

Now add green beans to the sauce and toss till all green beans are well coated with the sauce. Remove from heat and serve with white rice.

Dum Aaloo

Ingredients:

2 lbs potatoes cut in half or use baby potatoes

2 tbsp oil

1" piece cinnamon

6 cloves

1 bay leaf

1/2 tsp asofoetida

2 tsp minced ginger

1 cup yoghurt

1 cup cold water

1 tbsp paprika

1.5 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp fennel seed powder (or aniseed powder)

2 tsp coriander powder

salt to taste

Garnish: cilantro and julienne ginger

Protocol:

Boil and peel potatoes.

Coat potatoes with 1tbsp oil and place on a foil lined baking sheet.

Bake at 400 oF for 30 minutes. The potatoes should now feel crusty and have more color to them.

Use a small kitchen knives and make 5-6 deep stab holes in each potatoes, to allow the gravy to soak into the potato.

Whisk together yogurt and water, till they make a smooth, creamy mixture with no lumps.

In a saucepan or a wok, heat remaining oil till. When hot, place cinnamon, bay leaf and cloves. After 1 minute, add asofoetida powder to this. Then lower heat on the wok. Add 2 tsp ginger till it mildly sizzles.

Add the yogurt water mixture to this and stir continuously.

Now add paprika and chilli powder. Stir for another 2 minutes.

Add fennel powder and corriander powder continue stirring and add salt to taste.

Gently add in the potatoes, making sure that the potatoes retain their shape for the most part.

Cover the wok and continue to cook on low heat for 30-40 minutes. Remember to stir at regular intervals to prevent separation of oil and yogurt. When the yogurt mixture is more or less reduced to 1/8th to 1/6th of the original volume, remove potatoes from heat.

Garnish with cilantro and julienne ginger and serve hot with rotis or naan.

Disclaimer: Traditional dum aaloo is not baked it is deep fried before further cooking. I like this recipe, mostly because it doesn't require too much oil!!!