Simple vegan stir fried dry curry made from Onion stalks and brinjals. Ready in less than 30 minutes!
Ever walked by a vegetable aisle wondering what "that" vegetable is and how one cooks it?
Happened to me a few years ago when I saw a lot of vegetable carts on the road side stocking up on green stalks with a tiny white bulb at the end. Curiosity made me ask what it was. And I was introduced to the "Onion Stalk / Flower" or "Eerulli Kaavu"/"Eerulli Hoovu" as they call it in Bangalore. The green stalk is the onion plant with the flower at the end. If you have never seen it or tasted it, the closest thing to it would be green onions or spring onion stalks. It is never sold with the onion bulb attached. While sometimes, it can be pungent like onions, most often it is simply sweet and crunchy.
And the good news is, it is right now in season in Bangalore and you will see it stocked all over the local markets and supermarkets.
I love cooking with seasonal vegetables. They taste so much better and are fresher than those annually available veggies. The first time I saw these onion stalks, I asked the vendor how one cooks it. He told me just stir fry it in oil and add spices. That's it! His recipe was so simple and it was tasty, if you like onions a lot. I do like onions, but I'm not a fan of a bowl full of them. So I went looking for different ways to cook it and I chanced upon this recipe by Chandrima . She added stir fried brinjals or eggplant to the fried onion stalks. Adding brinjal added some substance and texture to this dry curry.
These onion stalks are versatile, I added them to "Thalipeeth" and it tasted really nice. I made this same curry with potatoes instead of brinjals and everyone loved that too.
If you made this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment here or on Facebook, tag your tweet with @oneteaspoonlife on Twitter and don't forget to tag your photo #oneteaspoonoflife on Instagram. You can also email me at onetspoflife@gmail.com. I'd love to see what you are upto.
If you like this recipe, do not forget to share it with your friends and family!
8-10 Onion Stalks 5-6 small Brinjals 4 tsp Oil 1 tsp Turmeric Powder 1 tsp Red Chilli Powder Salt to taste
Method:
Chop the brinjal into chunks. Heat 2 tsp oil in a kadhai / pan. Add the brinjals and cook on low heat until done. Add in a little salt, turmeric powder and stir fry for 1 minute. Chop the onion stalks into 1" pieces. Heat the remaining oil in the kadhai and add the onion stalks. Add salt and turmeric powder. Mix well. Cover and cook until done. I left mine crunchy, cook longer for a softer texture. Add in the cooked brinjal and red chilli powder. Mix well and stir fry for 2-3 minutes. Serve hot with rice and dal or with rotis.
Undhiyu Recipe with step by step video instructions. Undhiyu is a mix vegetable Winter curry from the western state of Gujarat. It is a lovely green curry made from fresh coconut, coriander leaves and other aromatics and spices. The choicest of the winter vegetables are added along with the quintessential Muthia or Muthiya. This winter special is best enjoyed with hot Puris.
Food is how I celebrate and this mix vegetable Gujarati Undhiyu is just that. A celebration in your mouth. Full of seasonal winter vegetables and spices. A warming bowl of curry. I made this last week. Somehow it took me a week to get this published. I cooked some other amazing dishes like this Vegan Zucchini Kale Lasagna that I was really excited to post about, and somehow this celebratory bowl just took the backseat. Not that this is any less amazing, but I was super excited to have tried my hand at making vegan cheese that I had to bring it out to the world just as quickly as I could.
Back to my all-time favorite Gujarati curry - Undhiyu. While one thinks of India as a predominantly vegetarian eating country, it happens we are all wrong. Apparently a lot of India actually caters to the non vegetarians, but there is one state that never lets down vegetarians - Gujarat. The western most state of India is full of flavorful vegetarian food. From Dhokla to Handvo and similar scary sounding dishes that actually explode with flavor in your mouth to this super delicious Undhiyu. Undhiyu in it's humblest form is actually just a simple mix vegetable curry that is made using seasonal winter vegetables and a masala paste made using coconut, fresh coriander leaves and a few spices.
I had forgotten how much I liked Undhiyu until recently my sis's sis in law got us some. I couldn't get enough of it. I could have eaten the entire pot full of curry, but hey, I'm not that rude, I had to leave some for the rest. I HAD to make some of my own that I need not share with anyone, except of course Raj. I can rarely sneak food without him knowing, after all, he does the dishes. I love that man.
Traditionally, Undhiyu uses the following vegetables:
Potato
Baby brinjal or eggplant
Purple yam
Yam
Raw banana or plantain
Fresh Toovar or Pigeon Peas (Togarikalu)
Fresh Surti Papdi or Hyacinth Beans (Avarekai / Avarekalu)
A lot of this can be substituted if it is not the season or not available in your area. I could get most of it, except the purple yam. I'm yet to find it in Bangalore. I used Arbi. You can replace it with any variety of yam. The fresh toovar or pigeon peas can be replaced with fresh green beans. The surti papdi can be replaced with green beans and the surti beans can be replaced with Edamame. Don't worry about having the exact ingredients, just use what is available.
Apart from the vegetables, steamed balls made of gram flour or besan, spices and methi leaves (fenugreek leaves) called Muthia are also added for more flavor and texture. Methi leaves add a nice salty fragrance to the dish. But if you cannot find methi, feel free to replace with dill leaves, coriander or any fragrant greens. You can also buy ready made muthia in some places, like Ahmedabad and Mumbai.
Undhiyu gets all its flavor from the green masala. The green masala is made by blending together fresh coriander leaves, fresh coconut, ginger, garlic, green chillies, sesame seeds, coriander powder, cumin powder, sugar, salt and lime juice. This masala is then stuffed into brinjal, and into baby potatoes if you use them. Then just heat oil in a pressure cooker and layer the vegetables and leftover masala and cook for 1-2 whistles until done. A pressure cooker drastically cuts down the cooking time making it a very quick cooking dish. However, if you don't own a pressure cooker, just use a covered flat bottomed saucepan or pot, preferably deep.
Undhiyu is generally eaten with either roti or puri.
If you made this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment here or on Facebook, tag your tweet with @oneteaspoonlife on Twitter and don't forget to tag your photo @oneteaspoonoflife on Instagram. You can also email me at onetspoflife@gmail.com I'd love to see what you are up to.
If you like this recipe, do not forget to share it with your friends and family!
Gujarati Undhiyu or Undhiyo is a vegan mix vegetable curry made with seasonal winter vegetables, methi muthia and a coriander based masala.
Recipe Type:Curry Cuisine:Indian Prep Time:30 minutes Cook time:45 minutes Total time:75 minutes Yield:Serves 4 to 5
Author:Anupama
Ingredients:
The Vegetables:
5-6 Baby Potatoes 5-6 small Brinjals 1 raw Banana 1 small Sweet Potato 0.5 cup fresh Toovar or Pigeon Peas or Green Peas 0.5 cup fresh Surti beans or Hyacinth Beans or Edamame 8-10 fresh Surti Papdi or Green Beans
For the green masala:
1 cup chopped Coriander 1 cup grated Coconut 1 Tbsp Garlic, chopped 1 Tbsp Ginger, chopped 2-3 Green Chilli 2 tsp Coriander Powder 1 tsp Cumin Powder 0.5 tsp Turmeric Powder (Optional) 1 Tbsp Sesame Seeds 1 tsp Sugar 0.5 lime Salt to taste
For the methi muthia:
1 cup Methi leaves, tightly packed 1 cup Whole wheat flour (atta) 0.5 cup fine Semolina (rava / sooji) 1 Tbsp Gram flour (Besan) 1 tsp Cumin Powder 2 tsp Coriander Powder 1 tsp Sugar Pinch of asafoetida (hing) 2 tsp Red chilli powder 0.5 tsp Turmeric powder 3 Tbsp Oil Salt to taste Water as required Oil to fry
For the tempering (tadka):
4-5 Tbsp Oil 0.5 tsp Carom seeds or Ajwain 1 tsp Cumin seeds or Jeera
1 cup Water
Method:
To make the methi muthia:
1. Add the coriander powder, cumin powder, hing, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, sugar, salt and 2 Tbsp oil to the chopped methi leaves and mix well. 2. Add in gram flour (besan), whole wheat flour, semolina (rava / sooji) and 1 Tbsp of remaining oil and knead into a stiff dough with water. 3. Heat Oil in a deep pan for frying. 4. Shape the muthia into small logs and deep fry until done and browned. 5. Keep aside until required.
To make the green masala:
6. Grind together all the ingredients for the green masala. If the mixture is too dry and difficult to grind, add only 1 tsp of water to help grinding. Adding too much water will make the consistency of the masala too loose.
To make the Undhiyu:
7. Peel the raw banana and cut into large chunks. 8. Chop the sweet potato into chunks. 9. Chop the surti papdi or the beans into 1" pieces. 10. Make a criss cross lengthwise slit on the brinjal and the baby potato. 11. Stuff the brinjals and potatoes with the masala. 12. Heat 4-5 Tbsp oil in the pressure cooker. 13. Add carom seeds (ajwain) and cumin seeds. 14. Once they brown slightly, add the surti papdi, surti beans and the fresh toovar or their replacements. 15. Add one third of the leftover masala and mix well. 16. Now add the raw banana and sweet potato. 17. Sprinkle over one third of the green masala. Sprinkle over 2-3 pinches of salt and 1-2 Tbsp oil. 18. Now layer the stuffed vegetables on the top along with the muthia. 19. Add the remaining masala and sprinkle a pinch of salt. 20. Add 1 cup of water from the side. Cover and pressure cook for 2-3 whistles or 8-10 minutes. 21. After the pressure settles, open the pressure cooker and gently mix the curry without breaking the stuffed vegetables. 22. Garnish with lots of fresh grated coconut and chopped coriander leaves before serving. Serve hot with roti or puris.
My latest addition to Finger Food that is finger licking good - Grilled Eggplant and Coriander Hummus Rolls. Silky smooth garlicky coriander hummus rolled in thinly sliced grilled eggplant. This recipe is super quick to make and has all makings of a healthy snack.
Who is a Hummus fan?? Obviously, Me, well so is Raj, there's Gee too... Well, the whole family is nuts about Hummus. The usual combination for hummus is Pita, but when you are bored to knead dough and roll out those light little pockets of Pita, I recommend trying this simple gluten free option to enjoy that amazing hummus.
As much as I like Hummus, I love Coriander or Cilantro just as much, or may be a little more. A sprinkle of coriander here, a tablespoon of coriander there. I literally, use it in everything I make. That vibrant fresh sprinkling of green, just brightens up any curry. It does the same to this Hummus. This Coriander Hummus is just one level above the regular Hummus in terms of flavor and color. I mean who does not find this lovely green appealing?
I can eat this Coriander Hummus with anything - crackers, chips, regular bread, chapati, roti, naan. I think I'm only yet to try it with rice. But on days that you are too bored to knead the dough and make your own light Pita pockets or you just fancy going gluten free, try this awesome combination of eggplant and hummus and tell me if you hear complains.
Ever since I bought my AWESOME new grill pan, I've been grilling EVERYTHING. Paneer, Eggplant, Peppers... this is just a small list. Grilling is so much fun, I love that nice char marks that I get from my new pan. Check out this super delicious Grilled Paneer Sandwich I made using the same pan.
However, I think I should warn you, these rolls are addictive and may never be enough for your family. They are also quite filling.
If you don't want to make your own hummus, you can just use your favorite store bought hummus. Roasted Pepper Hummus will also go great with the Eggplant.
1 cup cooked Chickpeas 1/2 cup Coriander leaves 2-3 Garlic cloves 2 Tbsp Water 3 Tbsp Olive Oil Salt to taste
For Grilled Eggplant:
1 large Eggplant or Bharta Baingan Water Salt to taste Pepper to taste 3-4 tsp of Oil
Method:
To make Coriander Hummus:
Chop the coriander leaves and garlic. Blend together the chickpeas, coriander leaves, garlic and salt with water and Olive oil until it is a smooth creamy paste. Add more Olive oil if required.
To make Grilled Eggplant:
Take a large bowl of water and add 1/2 tsp of salt to Slice the eggplant into fine slices lengthwise and put them in the salted water. Leave them soaked for 10-15 minutes. Pat the eggplant fry using a tea towel or kitchen napkins and rub them with oil, salt and pepper. Heat a grill pan or a griddle. Once it is hot place the eggplant slices on it in a single layer without overlapping them. Spoon oil on the eggplant if required. Grill for 2-3 minutes on each side until the eggplant is cooked.
To make the Rolls:
Spread the coriander hummus on the grilled eggplant slices and roll them to make Grilled Eggplant and Coriander Hummus rolls.
This Green Apple and Brinjal Curry also called Bom Chount Wangan is a specialty of the Himalayan state of Kashmir.
If you’d told me last month that I would be cooking a Green Apple and Brinjal Curry, I would have laughed it off. “NEVER!!!” would have been my reaction. Apples? In a savory curry? No way, right? I had the same thought process, until NOW.
Over a cup of tea when we were discussing recipes and blogs (this is the direction most of my conversations take, not surprisingly!), my cousin mentioned her Kashmiri friend makes this awesome Green Apple and Brinjal Curry. I was intrigued. I would have never tried it out had I just found this recipe somewhere, but when someone you know recommends something, you feel like at least giving it a try.
Since I did not have the recipe, just the idea of the dish, I did what I do like a 100 times a day – I googled for it. I found this great site for Kashmiri Food by Anjali Pandita. I followed her recipe for the Green Apple and Brinjal Curry, all I did was alter the quantities as I was making a much smaller quantity. You can find her recipe here.
This recipe is interesting. Interesting because I never imagined it would taste the way it did. Spicy and Tangy with a lot of different textures.
Granny Smith or Green Apples are used in this curry. When I tasted them before cooking, they seemed sweet yet slightly tart. But after cooking, they began tasting like raw mango. Most of the apple’s sweetness seeped into the slight gravy it has while the apple pieces retained their tartness.
The recipe originally only calls for Amchur or dried Mango powder to enhance the tartness of the dish if the apples are too sweet. However, due to the transformation of the apples, I added in Jaggery to add sweetness. I've made it an semi-dry curry, that goes well with Roti or Naan. Adjust the consistency if you plan on having it with rice.
Kashmiri Green Apple and Brinjal Curry | Bom Chount Wangan
A spicy semi-dry curry made from Green Apples and Brinjals in Kashmiri style.
1 Green Apple 4-5 small Brinjals 4-5 Tbsp Oil 1 tsp Fennel seeds 1 tsp Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp of Ginger paste 2-3 tsp Red Chilli Powder 1/2-1 tsp Garam Masala 1/2 tsp Jaggery or Sugar (Optional) 1/2 tsp Amchur or dried Mango powder (Optional) 3/4 cup Water Salt to taste Coriander leaves for Garnish
Method:
Dice the apple and the brinjals into equal sized pieces. Heat oil in a deep pan and fry the brinjals and apple until they are cooked and keep aside. Insert a knife to check if they are done. If it slides smoothly, they are. I did not cook the apple for long as I like the crunch of the apples. I fried them in batches. If you plan to fry all together, you may need more oil. Remove the excess oil, leaving only about 1-2 tsp in there. Add the cumin seeds and crushed fennel seeds. Once they brown slightly, add the chilli powder and 1/4 cup of water and cook until the water evaporates and the oil separates. Now add the fried apple and brinjal. Add the remaining water, garam masala, ginger paste, and salt and simmer on low heat for 5-8 minutes. Add amchur if the apple is too sweet and the jaggery if the apple is too sour. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or roti.
Vangi Bhaat or Eggplant Rice Pilaf is perfect for those weeknights when you are tilting towards ordering that pizza or planning to drive to the closest restaurant for that greasy take out but your head is making you feel guilty over that restaurant food.
Isn't it true that we all get burned out sometime? All that going to work, doing the laundry, dusting the house, exercising and cooking.... seriously tires me out. Sometimes a little retail therapy aka shopping is what helps ease all that stress. Thank heavens for those little pleasures of life !!
Vangi Bhaat is always my GO TO dish when I'm not in the mood for too much of work and I want something home cooked, quick to make and as comforting as rice. It sometimes takes less time to come home and make Vangi Bhaat than wait for my take out at restaurants. And I know what goes in it and I can tweak it to my liking. And to add to it, it is a ONE POT recipe. Just one pot to wash, HURRAY!!!
There are absolutely no more excuses to not make it anymore - Quick, Tasty, Healthy and less pots to wash. What more can one ask for, right?
Vangi Bhaat is rice cooked with brinjal or eggplant along with some basic spices. Toss in everything in a pot and cook until the rice is done. I use a pressure cooker and I recommend it as it cuts the cooking time by half.
I usually pair it with some cooling mix vegetable raita. The raita can be made while the Vangi Bhaat is cooking away.
Step-by-Step Recipe:
1) Wash the rice in sufficient water. Drain and set aside.
2) Roughly chop the onion, tomato and the brinjal.
3) Heat oil in a pressure cooker or a deep pan.
4) Add the cumin seeds.
5) Once they brown slightly, add the onions and fry until translucent.
6) Now add the tomatoes and brinjal and fry for 1 minute.
7) Add water, all the spices and salt. If you are not using a pressure cooker, the quantity of water may vary. Adjust accordingly.
8) Add the rice and cover and cook until the rice is done. In a pressure cooker, that will take you around 3-4 whistles or approximately 10-12 minutes.
9) Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves and serve with Raita
10) To make the raita, just mix all the ingredients well.
Vangi Bhaat | Eggplant Rice Pilaf with Raita
Vangi bhaat is rice cooked with brinjal or eggplant and a few spices. It is vegan and gluten free.
200 gms of Brinjal or Eggplant 1.5 cups of Rice 1 Tomato 1 Onion 1/2 tsp of Turmeric Powder 1 tsp of Red Chilli Powder 1/2 tsp Garam Masala 1 tsp of Cumin Seeds / Jeera 1 Maggi Magic Cube (Optional) 4-5 tsp of Oil 3 cups of Water Salt A handful of fresh Coriander leaves
Raita:
1 cup of finely chopped mixed Vegetables (Tomato, Carrot, Cucumber, Onion) 1 Tbsp of finely chopped Coriander leaves 1.5 cups of Yogurt or Curd Salt to taste
Method:
Wash the rice in sufficient water. Drain and set aside. Roughly chop the onion, tomato and the brinjal. Heat oil in a pressure cooker or a deep pan. Add the cumin seeds. Once they brown slightly, add the onions and fry until translucent. Now add the tomatoes and brinjal and fry for 1 minute. Add water, all the spices and salt. If you are not using a pressure cooker, the quantity of water may vary. Adjust accordingly. Add the rice and cover and cook until the rice is done. In a pressure cooker, that will take you around 3-4 whistles or approximately 10-12 minutes. Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves and serve with Raita To make the raita, just mix all the ingredients well.
Yessss..... you heard it right.. rather you read it right - Eggplant Pizza. An awesome combination of grilled eggplants with a hearty tomato sauce and loads of cheese.
And guess where am I blogging from? Ooty - the queen of hills. We've been holidaying here over the long labor day weekend. After the heat and thunderstorms of Bangalore, we needed a good weather break. And Ooty lived up to its promise, ah! what weather. Mild sunlight with a slightly chilly air. Perfect!!! This is how summers should be.
Ooty from Doddabetta
We started early on 1st and reached here after a 7 hour long fueled by some healthy Med Veg sandwiches and packets of processed junk food. What fun is a road trip without loads of food, right?
We are staying at the Willow Hill on Havelock road - the hotel is high up on the hill and offers some beautiful views.
On friday evening, as we went to the market to stock up on some homemade Ooty chocolate - dark with nuts, rum & raisins, fruit and nuts etc etc, we also made it a point to eat at the Sidewalk Cafe (it featured on Highway On My Plate - I absolutely love the show). We had french fries and a Chettinad pizza. The place did not live up to its expectations :( I was not so fond of their food.
On the way from Doddabetta
Saturday was total touristy day. We went pedal boating at the lake full Maine Pyar Kiya style singing Dil Deewana... Only the yellow shirt and saree were missing. We almost trekked up to Doddabetta after deciding to park the car pretty low. The hour long traffic jam on our way back was a blessing in disguise, it gave me plenty of time to stock up on fresh vegetables that was being sold on the street side. Expect a yummy salad recipe soon :)
Fresh vegetables on the roadside
Next stop was Botanical gardens - it looked like a fair was going on, I think there were at least 200+ ppl in there. Rain interrupted our sight seeing and sent every one running for covers.
But before that, we managed to get a few clicks...
India Map at Botanical Garden
Beautiful flowers at Botanical Garden
Let's get back to the blog post - Eggplant Pizza.
It did not really start off as it ended up eventually… Sis has been after me to make Eggplant Parmigiana for her after she read the recipe somewhere…
Grill the Eggplant Slices
On the day she enjoyed her pot luck, I thought I would make it and use hubby dearest as the guinea pig. But I don’t know if the lords of food listened or turned a blind ear to me, I could not find fresh basil or parmesan anywhere nearby. So I decided to go with dry basil and use the processed cheese I had at home.
Instead of making the layered parmigiana, I settled for individual starter sized pizzas.
Spread the sauce
They are so easy to make. They cut out the calories of the carb filled bread and add freshness to the food - plus they take so little time to make with so few ingredients. And if you skip the semolina, it is gluten free too.
Oooo... cheesy
Eggplant Pizza
Pizza made with Eggplant as the base and topped with homemade tomato basil sauce and cheese.
1 large Eggplant /Bharta baingan 2-3 Tomato 1 Onion 2 cloves Garlic 1 tsp dry Oregano 1 tsp dry Basil 1 tsp Pepper powder 2-3 Tbsp Olive oil ½ cup Cheese(grated) 2-3 Tbsp Semolina / Bread crumbs (Optional) Salt
Method:
Slice the eggplant into 1cm thick slices and grill on a hot tava/griddle with litte oil until they are soft and done.
Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a kadhai and add chopped onion, garlic and oregano. Fry until the onions are translucent.
Remove the seeds of the tomato and chop the tomatoes. Add this to the kadhai and cover and cook on low flame for 12-15 mins.
Add salt, pepper and basil and fry for another 2-3 mins.
Allow it to cool and then blend into a fine sauce.
Preheat the over to 180 degrees Celsius.
Place the eggplants on a baking sheet, spread the sauce on them.
Add the grated cheese.
Mix 1/2 tsp of oil with the semolina and sprinkle on top of the eggplant. This step can be skipped.
Bake until the cheese melts or for 10-12 mins.
Brinjal / Eggplant / Aubergines , call it what you want, is a favourite veggie across the world. Different names and cooked in myriad different ways. Wiki tells me that this was originally domesticated in India. So this was another gift to the world from us ;) Very easy to grow as well. I say this cause I have found success in growing brinjals :D. Brinjal is probably one the few vegetables cooked all across India, albeit in different ways. I myself make it in a couple of different styles. The recipe that follows is the twist on the traditional "Yennegai" or "Yenne badnekai" or the "Bharwan Baingan". The original recipe involves stuffing baby brinjals with the stuffing and frying in oil. I did not want to use too much oil and wanted it to cook sooner, so I cut the brinjal into smaller semicircles and fried them in very little oil initially and then added the masala. It was a perfect combination with the jowar roti or "Joladda rotti"
500gms Brinjal 2 medium Onion 2 medium Tomato 1 cup grated fresh Coconut 2 tsp Sambar powder 1 tsp Garam masala 2 tsp Red chilli powder 1 tsp Turmeric powder 1 Tbsp Urad dal ½ tsp Fenugreek seeds / Methi seeds 2 tsp Cumin seeds / Jeera 1 Tbsp Tamarind A pinch of Hing 3 Tbsp Oil
Method:
Lightly roast the urad dal and the methi seeds in a kadhai until the urad dal is slightly brown
Grind together coconut, tamarind, sambar powder, garam masala, urad dal, methi, red chilli powder and turmeric powder into a coarse paste. Use 1 tbsp of water to grind.
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a kadhai and fry onion until translucent in it.
Add finely chopped tomatoes, hing and the ground paste and cook until the tomato is cooked
Add 1 cup of water and cook on low flame for 8-10 mins or until the oil separates
In a different kadhai, add the remaining oil and fry the sliced brinjals until done. The brinjal should be cooked but still be firm.
Add the fried brinjal to the masala and cook together for 2 mins
Add more water if you want a thinner gravy or less water if you want a dry sabzi.
