Pan roasted sweet potato subzi

I used to love sweet potato as a child. Mum bought this very infrequently, so it always felt like a special treat to have it. She used to steam them whole in a pressure cooker and I liked to have them plain - their natural sweetness needing no other additions.

The sweet potatoes we get back in India are the ones with the pink skin and white flesh with a delicate flavour. The ones we get here have brown skin and orange flesh and taste different from the ones I have had growing up. I didn't relate to this and wasn't even willing to try them for a number or years. It is only recently that I have started having them again.

This is the first time I have tried this particular recipe with sweet potato. I usually make it with squash. Either way it makes a nice accompaniment for rice or rotis. One thing to note is  that you may need to add a little extra spice and salt to balance their natural sweetness.

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes ( approx. 2 - 21/2 cups)
1 medium onion, chopped finely
3 garlic pods, chopped finely
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp cumin powder
2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
2 tsp lemon juice
Salt to taste
1 tbsp oil

• Heat the oil in a non-stick skillet over medium flame. Add the cumin followed by mustard seeds to the hot oil and let them splutter
• Add the chopped onion and sauté till they are softened
• Add the garlic and  continue to sauté for another minute to remove their raw flavour.
• Turn the flame to high. Add the sweet potatoes and stir fry them for 3-4 minutes. 
• Add turmeric, chilli, cumin and coriander powders along with salt and continue to toss them for another 2-3 minutes.
• Reduce the flame back to medium. Spread the sweet potatoes evenly in the skillet, cover and let them roast slowly till they are just cooked. Do not add any water. Stir them every few minutes so they cook evenly on all sides and don't burn or catch at the bottom. 
• Sprinkle the garam masala and lemon juice and mix well. Finish off with the chopped coriander leaves.

Butternut squash and chickpea (chana) subzi masala

I wasn't familiar with this variety of squash till I moved to the UK. This is a winter vegetable and  is very similar to the yellow pumpkin, just sweeter. It is really lovely when simply cooked or roasted or made into soups, but it can also stand up to complex Indian cooking. The inherent sweetness mellows down the spices and heat.

This is a versatile side dish that goes well with rotis or rice. I tend to use a lot of chilli to balance the sweetness of the squash. I have also used black(kala) chana (chickpea) here just to add a contrasting colour and texture. You can always substitute it with the more common light coloured chickpea. Black chana has more of a bite compared to the more common Kabuli chana because of its thicker skin and has a slightly nuttier taste. We use it a lot in Kerala cuisine. Because of their hardy nature, both types need to be soaked in water for a long time before they can be cooked. That's fine when you are planning ahead, but I always keep a few tins of both varieties in the pantry to cater for those impromptu cooking sessions.

500g butternut squash, cut into 1cm pieces
2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1 medium onion, chopped finely
1/2 cup cooked chickpea
5-6 curry leaves
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1 1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp cooking oil
Salt to taste
handful of coriander leaves, chopped
1/2 tsp garam masala (optional)

• Heat oil in a wide pan. When it is hot, add the cumin seeds and mustard seeds and allow them to splutter.
• Add the curry leaves, onion and the ginger-garlic paste and saute till the onion has softened, but not browned.
• Add the turmeric, cumin, chilli and coriander powders and saute for 10-15 seconds being careful not burn them. Sprinkle a little water if they are catching at the bottom.
• Add the squash pieces and saute for a 2-3 minutes.
• Add the chickpea and salt and mix everything together. Add 4-5 tablespoons of water and cover and cook on a really low flame till the squash is cooked. You just need a little water to create enough steam to cook everything. 
• Finish the dish with some chopped coriander (and optionally garam masala) when the squash has cooked and all the water has been absorbed.

Aubergine (eggplant or brinjal) fry

It amuses me how this vegetable has different names in different countries. I have grown up calling this 'brinjal'. While living in the US, I got used to 'eggplant' and now living here in the UK, I call it an 'aubergine'. Whatever the moniker, I do love this vegetable. Most supermarkets here carry the big purple variety. These are lovely when grilled, baked or fried, but for Indian dry dishes I like to use the long, slender ones. They contain less water, so the end result is not mushy. The smaller round ones are perfect for stuffing.

I have been trying to grow them in the garden for the last couple of years. The first time I got exactly one fruit, but it was of good size. Last year was a total disaster as the unpredictable weather caused the plant to wilt and die. Hoping third time will be the charm...

Sometimes aubergines can have a bitter taste. You can toss the cut pieces in salt and leave them to drain in a colander for sometime. The salt will draw out the water and bitterness. Rinse them in water to remove the salt before you use them. I don't normally bother with this, unless I am frying them, as I don't think the ones we get here have any bitterness. 

This dish is very simple and quick to make. The garlic and roasted bengal gram bring out a mild sweetness that is balanced by the heat from the chillies. Desiccated coconut is preferred over freshly grated. It works well as a side dish for rice or chapattis.

1/2 kg aubergine (long slender ones preferable)

3 garlic pods, chopped finely

5-6 green chillies

5-8 curry leaves

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

4 tsp cooking oil

To powder

2 tbsp roasted bengal gram (pottu kadala)

1 tbsp desiccated coconut

• Cut the aubergines into half inch pieces. They do tend to blacken slightly when exposed to air for a long time. Keep them in water if you are cutting it ahead of time.  
• Grind the roasted bengal gram and the coconut to a fine powder and keep aside.
• Heat oil in a pan. Add the mustard seeds when the oil is hot and allow them to splutter. Follow this with the curry leaves. Then add the aubergine, turmeric and the minced garlic and stir fry over high heat for a few minutes. The raw garlic will cook out, but you can add the garlic to hot oil for a few seconds before adding the aubergine. You have to be careful though as the garlic will brown very quickly and that doesn't taste very nice.
• Add the salt and green chillies and cover and cook until the pieces are tender. The water contained in the vegetable should be enough to cook it. You can sprinkle some water if you starts to stick to the bottom. You are looking for the aubergine to be soft but not mushy.
• At this stage add the ground powder and mix well.  Turn of the heat and cover and allow to cook in its own steam for a minute. You may not need the entire ground powder, just add enough to coat everything well and soak up any remaining liquid.

Saag paneer

A discussion my colleague and I were were having on our drive back home from work about the leafy vegetables that the dish can be made from inspired me to try this out . She and I car share to work everyday and our talk generally revolves around food! This is my version of the dish and is certainly not the authentic way of making it. It is quite mild with very few ingredients that makes the taste of the greens to stand out. It is commonly made using mustard leaves although spinach is usually substituted as mustard leaves can be quite hard to find. I used a combination of spinach and kale this time.

200g spinach
200g kale
Paneer (one block, usually about 200-220g) cut into cubes
3/4 tsp English mustard
1/2 tsp nutmeg powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
3-4 cloves of crushed  or finely chopped garlic
3-4 green chillies
1/2 medium onion chopped
1-2 tsp oil

• Cook the spinach and kale. I like to put them in a pan with 3-4 tbsp of water, cover and allow them to steam. You could do the same in a microwave. When cooked, grind them very coarsely. Don't make it a fine paste as I find the texture adds to the taste.
•  Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the onions. When they have softened slightly, add the garlic and green chillies and continue sautéing till the onions are translucent. 
• Next, add the cooked greens, turmeric and the paneer and cook on a low flame with little water for about 5 minutes or till the water has been absorbed and the paneer is soft. I find microwaving the paneer for a minute or putting it in hot water for 5 minutes makes it really soft.
• Add the mustard and nutmeg powder. Mix well and cook for a final couple of minutes to allow the flavours to combine.