2 tblsp oil

1 tsp cumin seeds

Totato puree

• 3 large tomatoes
• ½ inch piece ginger
• 3 green chillies
• 10 cashews
• 5 raisins

1 tsp turmeric

½ cup plain yogurt (whisked)

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp red chillie powder

1 tsp garam masala

3 tsp salt

500 grams paneer (cottage cheese cut into cubes)

3 tblsp fresh cream

Heat the oil and add the cumin seeds. Add the tomato puree and cook the tomatoes for 10 min while stirring. Lower the flame and add the yogurt slowly while stirring. Add the rest of the spices and cook for 10 min. Add the paneer and cook for another 10 min. Stir very gently so you don’t crush the cheese. Cover and turn the flame off. Let the curry sit in for about 20 min. Take a small sample and add the cream and test if it curdles (sometimes the cream curdles, and in this case we do not add the cream). Add the cream to the curry and stir.

Voice vibes for radio from Hyderabad 

Original Picture above and finished product below.

Picture courtesy: Eynat Molenaar. Another interesting project I worked on.

2 large Potatoes (boiled/baked and cut into cubes or mashed if you are in a hurry!)

2 tblsp oil

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp chana dal (lentil)

1 tsp urad dal (lentil)

½ tsp turmeric

3 green chillies (can be substituted with ¼ tsp red chillie powder, taste differs)

4 to 5 kari patta (bay leaves)

2 tsp salt

Heat the oil and add the mustard seeds. When they start to splatter add all the other spices. As the lentils start turning light brown, add the potatoes and stir. Spinkle salt, and cook for about 10 min on LOW flame. Leave it longer for a nice golden brown crust to develop (adds to the flavor).

***************************

Potato Curry (serves 5) and spice powder for vegetable curries

Srilalitha Prasad

Spice Powder mix

Chana dal (Yellow gram) 1 cup

Urad dal Black gram) 1 cup

Red chillies whole ½ cup or about 1 table spoon of powdered chilly

Sesame seeds ½ cup

Peanuts ½ cup

Salt two tablespoons

Tamarind ¼ teaspoon

Stir fry the peanut + sesame and cool. Same with the grams + chillies and powder them first and then add the peanut + Sesame + tamarind + salt and powder them all together

Ingredients: For the curry:

Oil – 2 tablespoons

Potatoes – 4-5 medium

Onion – 1 medium chopped finely

Tomato – 1 large chopped finely

Asafetida – 1 pinch

Mustard seeds – 1 teaspoon

Cumin seeds – 1 teaspoon

Yellow gram seeds – 1 teaspoon

Turmeric 1/2 teaspoon

Salt – 2 teaspoons

Water – 1 cup

Procedure:

1. Cook, peel and mash the potatoes.
2. Heat the oil in a pan and add the asafetida and the mustard seeds. After they splatter, add cumin seeds, turmeric and the yellow gram seeds. Lower the flame and take care not to burn the ingredients.
3. When the gram seeds start turning to golden brown add the onions and fry until they become transparent.
4. Add the tomatoes and cook for about 10 min until the tomatoes are soft.
5. Add the mashed/cut potatoes, water, two teaspoons of  Spice powder + salt
6. Mix well and fry on low flame for about 10 min (until you notice that the curry starts becoming crisp at the bottom of the pan)

***************************

Potato Curry Alternate version (serves 5)

Srilalitha Prasad

Ingredients: For the curry:

Oil – 2 tablespoons

Potatoes – 4-5 medium

Onion – 1 medium chopped finely

Tomato – 1 large chopped finely

Green chillies (spicy) 2-3 finely chopped

Asafetida – 1 pinch

Mustard seeds – 1 teaspoon

Cumin seeds – 1 teaspoon

Fennel seeds – 1 teaspoon

Yellow gram seeds – 1 teaspoon

Turmeric 1/2 teaspoon

Salt – 2 teaspoons

Water – 1 cup

1. Cook, peel and mash the potatoes.
2. Heat the oil in a pan and add the asafetida and the mustard seeds. After they splatter, add cumin seeds, fennel seeds, turmeric and the yellow gram seeds. Add the green chillies. Lower the flame and take care not to burn the ingredients.
3. When the gram seeds start turning to golden brown add the onions and fry until they become transparent.
4. Add the tomatoes and cook for about 10 min until the tomatoes are soft.
5. Add the mashed/cut potatoes, water, and salt
6. Mix well and fry on low flame for about 10 min (until you notice that the curry starts becoming crisp at the bottom of the pan)

***************************

Creating montages is something I have enjoyed for a while now. Below is the result of a text montage tutorial that I found recently. Kool!