Maharastrian shrimp curry

So after a long gap I am back on the blogspot and today I made a yummy shrimp curry from the central part of India, specifically from Maharastra. Maharastra has a coast line on the west bordered by the Arabian Sea. This is a curry with a coconut and tomato based spicy gravy. I made Maharastrian rice to serve my curry with Maharastrian rice with my own twist on it
The actual curry is from the IndiaWest website

Maharastrian shrimp curry( shrimp in a tomato and coconut gravy)
Ingredients

1 pound shrimp/ prawns peeled

1 large onion chopped

2 medium tomatoes chopped

1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste

1 teaspoon red chilli powder

1 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon tamarind paste

salt to taste

chopped coriander leaves for garnishing

half cup coconut milk

Combine the shrimp, ginger-garlic paste, red chillie powder, turmeric powder, tamarind paste, salt and allow it to marinate for 20 - 30 minutes. In a shallow bottom non - stick pan, heat oil. Once hot, add two crushed garlic cloves. Wait for a minute until it becomes fragrant. Next, add the onions and saute until the onions becomes transluscent. Add the tomatoes, stir for approximately 5 minutes. At this point add the marinated prawns and stir until they lose the grey color and turn pink. Add 1 cup water and let the curry come to boil. Then, add half cup coconut milk and the chopped coriander leaves. Taste and add salt if necessary. Cook further for a couple of minutes. Serve hot with Maharastrian Rice

Maharastrian Style Rice (Rice cooked with Potato and eggplants)

Maharastrian Potato Eggplant rice

Ingredients:

1. 2 cups basmati rice washed 
2. 2 medium potatoes peeled and cubed small
3. 3 medium small Indian eggplants washed and cubed
4. 1/2 cup onions chopped
5. 1 serrano chilli chopped
6. 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
7. 1 tablespoon oil
8. 3/4 teaspoon salt
9. 1/2 teaspoon turmeric

In a pan heat the oil and fry the onions till they start changing colors. Add the ginger garlic paste and fry for 30 seconds. Add the chillies, potato and eggplant and fry for 5-7 minutes. Add salt and turmeric and mix well. Add 4 cups water and bring it to boil. Add rice and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until rice is done. Garnish with cilantro and enjoy hot hot

Purple Cabbage Chana Masala

After coming to the USA I have some vegetables in different colors and I love them. Some of the vegetables I fell in love are purple cabbage, yellow and green cauliflower and my favourite Yellow Watermelon. Oh!!! I was sooo sweet.
Today I am making a regular curry with different colored vegetable and it does taste different. I am not sure what the difference is, but is certainly better tasting

Purple Cabbage Chana Masala (Cabbage and Lentil curry)

Purple cabbage chana masala

Ingredients:

1. 3 cups purple cabbage sliced fine (or a medium small cabbage)
2. 2/3 cup lentils or chana dal soaked in water for 20 minutes.
3. 1 tablespoon oil
4. 1/2 teaspoon each of cumin, mustard seeds, urad dal, salt, turmeric, chilly powder
5. few curry leaves, 2 dried red chillies broken

In a cooker, add the chana dal and cabbage and turmeric and 1/2 cup water and cook for 2 whistles. Let all the steam escape. heat oil in a pan and add cumin, urad dal, mustard seeds, curry leaves and dried red chillies and fry for a minute. Add one finely chopped garlic if desired and fry for a minute. Add the rest of the ingredients, stir once and add the cabbage mixture.  Simmer till excess water evaporates. Garnish with cilantro and serve with hot hot roti

Aalu baingan and Tomato rasam

This is my all time favourite recipes and I love it love it love it. Baingan or eggplant is such a vegetable which either someone just love it or don't eat it at all. I have never met anyone who is just "ok" with it. I have known many people who just hated it when they were kids but love it as adults
            But anyway, this is my favorite recipe. Potatoes and eggplant and Rasam or chaaru. But the rasam I made is also  special. It is Tomato Rasam and it was pretty yummy
        
Aalu baingan (Potato and eggplant curry)

Aalu baingan

Ingredients:

1. 1 lb Indian purple eggplants chopped into 6-8 pieces
2. 1/2 ln onions peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
3. 1 large onion sliced thin
4. 3 tablespoons oil
5. 1 or 2 green chillies slices
6. 1/2 teaspoon each of salt, chilly powder, turmeric

In a pan heat the oil and fry the onions till tender, add the green chillies and fry for a minute. Add the rest of the ingredients and add 1 cup water. Cover and cook till the eggplant and potatoes get tender. About 20 minutes . (Or cook in a pressure cooker for 2 whistles) Simmer till the excess water evaporates and gravy thickens. Garnish with cilantro and enjoy

Tomato Rasam (Tomato and tamarind soup with spices)

Tomato Rasam

Ingredients:

1. 3 cups juice from a small lime sized tamarind
2. 1 big ripe tomato chopped fine
3. 1 green onion chopped fine
4. 1/2 teaspoon each of salt, turmeric, coriander powder
5. 1/4 teaspoon cumin, mustard seeds
6. 1 tablespoon oil
7. 3 dried red chillies broken, few curry leaves

In a pot bring to boil the tamarind juice along with tomatoes, green chilly pieces, salt, turmeric and coriander powder. Boil for 10 minutes. In a pan heat the oil fry the cumin and mustard seeds for a couple of minutes. Add curry leaves and red chillies and fry till they start spluttering. Add this to the tamarind juice and some chopped cilantro and keep boiling for 10 more minutes. Serve