Vaishnu Bhaji|Curry without Onion and Garlic

Alka Keswani — Fri, 17 Apr 2015 14:13:26 +0000

Allow me to share some interesting food facts related to Sindhi people. I may be wrong in certain observations, so do correct me if you disagree. In general, Sindhis are divided into various types when it comes to food preferences. a) Those who eat non veg. food, be it goat meat, fish, eggs, chicken etc. b) Those who avoid non veg. food on some particular days like, Tuesdays, Fridays, ekadashi, satnarayan etc depending on their personal beliefs. c) Those who satiate their meat cravings at restaurants or buffet parties because nonveg. food is barred from their homes. d) Those who won’t eat meat or eggs per se, but won’t mind egg based cakes, desserts etc. e) Those who follow strict vegetarian diet are mostly known as Vaishnu (Veshnu) or vegetarian. Most of the staunch vegetarians won’t consume any products containing eggs, gelatin, rennet, lard etc. The void created (if any) by the absence of meaty flavor or texture in their curries or biryani is filled with textured vegetable proteins (Soya chunks and granules). The soya granules that look and ( to some extent) taste like minced meat is widely used in curries or samosa stuffing or even in stuffed potato patties. The elder generation called Mutton as ‘b^aeyreen bhaji’ (b^aeyreen means ‘from outside’, bhaji = subzi), because goat meat was not a native food of Sindhi community. It was adapted from non Sindhi (Muslim/ Arab) community.Many vegetarian Sindhis use the word Veshnu (Vaishnu) for any vegetarian dish, while some refer the Nutrela (Soya granules) curry as veshnu bhaji (curry). After breaking any fast, Sindhi people consume vegetarian food that is devoid of onion and garlic. By rule the food served to Brahmins during Shradh and Navratra, all the sympathy meals and the food consumed by the followers of Chaliha fast etc is cooked without onion and garlic. The recipe that I am going to share today is also known as Vaishnu bhaji. The term vaishnu is inspired from the word Vaishnav, and as many of you might be aware that the Vaishnavs cook their food sans onion and garlic. So the following recipe has a base of tomato, flavored with the spices like cinnamon, cardamon, clove and some powdered spices. Print Vaishnu Bhaji|Curry without Onion and Garlic Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 25 mins Total time: 35 mins A no onion, no garlic , mixed vegetable curry with fragrant spices Ingredients 3 tomatoes 100 gm Paneer 1 Carrot ¾ cup Phoolpatasha (Makhane or Fox seeds) Handful of shelled peas 1 tsp Cumin seeds 1 inch long piece of Cinnamon 1 green cardamom 2 Cloves 1 Kamaal Patt (Tej Patta) 2-3 green chillies ½ inch piece of ginger ½ tsp turmeric powder 1 tsp coriander powder 1 tsp Kasuri methi ½ tsp garam masala powder ½ tsp kashmiri laal mirch ( or any red chilli powder, adjust the quantity according to the chillies used) Salt as per taste 2 tsp cream or ¼ cup milk (optional) 4-5 cashews soaked in warm water 1 tsp butter 1 tbsp vegetable oil Fresh coriander leaves for garnish Some oil to fry vegetables Method Blanch tomatoes and blend to make a puree. (I had to grate the tomatoes due to load shedding crisis, hence the texture of the gravy was not very smooth.) Heat butter and oil in a pan (or kadhai ) and add Kamaal Patt (Tej Patta), followed by cinnamon, cardamom and cloves. Add Cumin seeds and wait till seeds change color. Add pounded ginger (or use ½ tsp of ginger paste), pounded green chilies and then add the grated or pureed tomatoes and lower the flame to minimum. Cover the pan with a lid and let the tomato cook for a while. Keep a check on water content of the gravy and add some water if needed. Meanwhile, peel the carrot and cut in cubes. In another pan, heat some oil and fry carrots on low flame till soft. Do not let the carrot turn brown. Remove from pan and set aside. Add some salt to paneer cubes and fry in batches, till light brown. Keep this aside too. Fry fox seeds till the seeds change to a darker shade. Coming back to the tomato gravy, add turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder and cook well till the oil leaves the sides of pan. Add around 2-3 cups of water, salt, garam masala powder, kasuri methi and cook further for 2 minutes. If using fresh peas, blanch till soft. If using frozen peas, just add as it is, in the tomato gravy, along with paneer, carrot, phoolpatasha. Blend the milk/ cream and soaked cashews to make a smooth paste. Add this paste to curry and simmer the curry for 5 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves before serving. Goes well with steamed rice and roti. 3.2.2925

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Sata Bhajyun|Chiti Kuni|Sindhi Style Seven vegetable mix curry

Alka Keswani — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 12:17:01 +0000

Sata Bhajyun/Chiti Kuni/Sindhi Style Seven vegetable mix curry is a traditional vegetable that is cooked on Diwali, in Sindhi Household. This Diwali, my generous neighbor visited us and brought along this delicious and healthy traditional Diwali Curry. Obviously I requested her to share the recipe too, since many of you have asked for this recipe number of times. Though Diwali is already gone, but I will still go ahead and share this with you all. After all , Diwali will come again next year ;-). So bookmark this recipe, practice cooking this for few times, to perfectly cook it next year for your family and friends and enjoy a blessed Diwali. So with tons of Thanks to dear friend and neighbor Priya Dadlani, for the Food, picture and Recipe, let us hop on, to the Ingredients and Recipe! (Note: You can use seven, less than seven or more than seven vegetables.Each vegetable imparts its unique flavor to the whole dish.Also, this vegetable is cooked in variety of ways.The following is the way it is cooked in my neighbor’s home) Print Sata Bhajyun|Chiti Kuni|Sindhi Style Seven vegetable mix curry Prep time: 30 mins Cook time: 60 mins Total time: 1 hour 30 mins Serves: 4 Sindhi Style Mix vegetable curry traditionally cooked during Diwali festival. Ingredients 11/2 bowl of mixed vegetables like French Beans, Carrot, Cauliflower, Peas, Apple gourd ( Details given in 'Method') Potatoes 2 small Arbi (Kachalu) 3 Boiled lotus root 5-6, 1 inch thick pieces. Okra 5-6 Handful of Chopped Spinach Handful of Fresh Fenugreek leaves Green coriander leaves 1 small cup Green chillies 2-3 1 small onion Ginger garlic paste 2 tsp Coriander powder 1 heaped tsp Turmeric powder ½ tsp Tomatoes 2 large ( boil and pureed) or simply grate these Oil 2-3 tbsp ( for good texture good amount of oil is needed) 1 tbsp of Rice flour and Besan each (optional) Salt to taste Method Firstly rinse well, all the vegetables. Par boil, Cauliflower florets, chopped French beans, shelled peas (skip boiling peas if using frozen ones), chopped carrot (Remember do not cut the vegetables too small, and do not over boil it. Just drop the veggies in hot water, wait for 1-2 minutes and put off the gas.) Strain the vegetables. Reserve the water.Do not throw the water in which vegetables were boiled. Peel and boil onion till transparent. Boil Potato till just done and dice into approximately 2 inch cubes. You can peel potatoes or use with skin on. Clean and boil lotus root (For details, click here). Boil Arbi ( Kachalu) till just done and peel. Cut each arbi vertically in 2 pieces. Let these cool properly. Coat each piece of Arbi with the mixture of rice flour and besan and deep fry for few seconds, till the flour layer forms a crisp covering. This is to get rid of slimy texture of Arbi. Wash, pat dry okra, cut off the ends and slit in middle. Sprinkle little amount of salt and deep fry for few seconds to get rid of its sliminess. Mince boiled onion, finely chop or process in food processor, spinach, methi and coriander leaves. Make a paste of green chillies, ginger and garlic. Take a thick bottomed pan, handi or pressure cooker and pour oil. Add minced onion and saute till pink. Add chilies- ginger- garlic paste, salt, turmeric powder and coriander powder. Cook on high heat. This is where copious amount of oil will help you, or else sprinkle some drops of water to avoid burning of masalas. Now add the green mixture (coriander leaves, spinach, methi), tomato puree and sauté on high heat till oil separates. Add all vegetables and mix very gently. Add some water (the one that you reserved after boiling vegetables) and let the mixture comes to a boil. Simmer and cook till the water is evaporated and vegetables takes up the flavor of spices. Be very gentle while mixing the vegetables or else you will end up with gooey mixture. If using pressure cooker, just close the lid of cooker and wait for one whistle. Switch off the gas and remove excess steam from cooker by holding the whistle up with spoon or fork. Optionally you can add 1 tsp of kitchen king to get a spicy flavor. 3.5.3251

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Vaishnu Bhaji|Curry without Onion and Garlic

Sata Bhajyun|Chiti Kuni|Sindhi Style Seven vegetable mix curry