Vegetable Jalfrezi

Jalfrezi is Indian version of Chinese stir-fry made with marinated vegetables and curry spices. For Jalfrezi, the vegetables must be dense, neither starchy nor watery. Potatoes and Peas are starchy, Spinach is watery. It is cooked with green chillies, with the result that a jalfrezi can range in heat from a medium dish to a very hot one. (source: Wikipedia)

Vegetables that are blanched can be used. Vegetables that need to be blanched are Cauliflower, String beans, Carrots, Broccoli. To blanch vegetables, bring water to a boil add vegetables, cook for 10- 12 minutes, drain immediately and pour cold water over the vegetables to stop further cooking.

4 - 5 Zucchini's
2 Green Peppers (or any colour peppers)
2 Carrots
2 Jalapenos
3 Onions
4 Garlic Pods
1" Ginger
Handful Cherry Tomatoes
Coriander
Lemon juice

Cut vegetables in thin long stripes and marinate in 2 tsp of oil with salt and pepper. Slit or cut cheery tomatoes in half, cut jalapenos into think long stripes and remove seeds to reduce heat. Grate garlic and ginger.

Take 2 tsp of oil in a wok/skillet add 1/4 tsp jeera and saute' onions and jalapeno stripes till they caramelize. Then add grated ginger and garlic. Fry for a few minutes and then add the marinated vegetables, salt and fry in medium heat for 5 - 6 minutes. Then add tomatoes on the top.

In a bowl mix 1/2 tsp cumin-coriander, 1/2 tsp amchur, 1/2 tsp red chili powder, 1/2 tsp garam masala, a pinch of turmeric and add a tsp of besam, mix well and add to the skillet. Fry for a few minutes remove from flame add lemon juice and chopped coriander.

This is spicy vegetable dish that can be eaten with rice or rotti.

French Beans Fry

Quick and easy vegetable dish that comes in handy during time crunch. These are available in regular grocery stores.

1 bag French Beans
2 Potatoes - Optional

Heat a non stick skillet and do not add oil. Cut open the frozen vegetable bag and drop it in the hot skillet. This is a trick to fry any frozen vegetable (washing of frozen vegetable is an individual choice) the moisture in the vegetable will be absorbed by the heat while it is being cooked. Once the vegetable has dried then add oil as required and salt.

Peel and cut potatoes into thin long strips and cook with salt in the microven. Drain water and add to the skillet.Fry till they are nicely done and add red chili powder.

Serve as a side dish with rice or rotti.

Chamadumpa Fry - Arbi

Arbi or sometimes called as Arvi is the Taro root vegetable. It is extensively used in South Asia. It is called as Chamadumpa in Telugu.

It is cooked just like a potato but it’s skin is not edible. After peeling it’s skin, the vegetable could be used in a variety of dishes. The crispy outside and soft and melt-in-your-mouth inside roasted fry is simply irresistible.

I have a small story to share about this vegetable here. After his marriage, on a trip to "Kasi" my father "left" this vegetable in a ceremony by the Ganges. It is like he has given up all together on that particular thing for the rest of his life. For people who did not understand what all this is about, there is a ceremony by the Ganges in Kasi where they have to let go of a favourite thing, like an "arpanam" - giving to Ganges. My dad's favorite growing up was Chamadumpallu. He Left that without a second thought. The point I want to make here is, we never saw that vegetable growing up, leave alone taste it. Even my aunts and others knowing that my dad will not eat it never used to make it around us.

So, after I got married, when I ate this fry for the first time, it was a different feel, but loved it instantly. Only my parents cannot eat them, we all can eat it.

8 – 10 Arbi - Chamadumpallu
2 tsp Besan - Senagapindi

Pressure cook arbi with salt until just done and not too mushy. Remove it’s skin, cut into big pieces and keep it aside. Sprinkle besan on the pieces and mix well with a fork, till all are nicely coated with besan.

Take 4 tsp of oil in a non-stick pan as arbi tends to stick to stainless steel. Now add the cut arbi pieces and slowly mix them so that the oil is coated evenly. Let it cook on medium flame for a few minutes. Do not disturb it. Turn the pieces and let them cook well. When pieces are nicely roasted add red chili powder and remove from flame.

Serve hot with rotis or rice.

Kakarakaye : Agakarakaye Fry - Karela

Kakarakaye and agakarakaye both belong to the gourd family. But kakarakaye is the bitter gourd and agakarakaye is not bitter at all. I like to compare them to fingers of the same palm that are so different from each other.
Agakarakaye is rare and expensive, but thanks to the frozen food, available in abundance in the Indian grocery stories in the freezer section. I have eaten more agakarakaye in US than in India. Comes in handy for a quick fry right from the freezer.

Kakarakaye and Onion Fry.

Agakarakaye and Onion Fry.
1 lb Karela {Bitter gourd or Agakarakaye}
3 Onions

Chop karela in circles, transfer them into a bowl, add tsp of salt and let sit for half hr. Then squeeze with fingers and discard the juice (Actually this juice is good for diabetes, but the excess salt in it is the bad part, so reduce salt, if desired to drink the juice.) By removing the juice, karela will not be so bitter anymore. Chop onions.

When using agakarakaye, cut into 4 pieces and add to oil in a skillet.

I normally do not discard the seeds unless they are ripe/red. They give a certain crunchy taste to the fry.

Take 3 -4 tsp of oil in a skillet and heat it. Once oil is hot add the chopped karela and fry for a few minutes on medium flame. Then add chopped onions and fry for a few more minutes and add salt.

Once the vegetables are crunchy or completely cooked add red chili powder and remove from flame. Serve hot with rice when the vegetable is crispy and crunchy.

Or completely fry the vegetable; do not add red chili powder. Just before serving add a tsp of oil and fry on high flame, add red chili powder and serve hot.

Vegetables that are good for frying are: Potatoes, Plantain (Aritikaye), French-cut beans, Ladies finger (Benadakaye), Karela - Indian bitter gourd, Agakarakaye (another variety in bitter gourd- only this not so bitter), Tindora (Dondakaye).

Vankaye Fry - Brinjal

1 lb Brinjal
2 tsp green chili-ginger-coriander paste
1 tsp jeera

Chop brinjal into small pieces.

Grind chilies, ginger and coriander with jeera in a mixer and keep aside. Use as required and save the rest in a freezer.

Take 4 tsp of oil in a skillet and when hot add chopped brinjals and fry till nicely done. Then add chili-ginger-coriander-jeera paste and salt and mix well. Fry till brinjal are nicely roasted.

Serve with rice or rotti.

Dondakaye - Tindora Fry

Wash and cut Tindora (Dondakaye) in desired shape and size (long, circles, 1/2" pieces).

Dondakaye by itself takes a long time to fry, by cooking in pressure cooker with water and salt, reduces cooking time by half. Cook and drain water.

Take 3 -4 tsp of oil in a skillet and heat it. Once oil is hot add the chopped vegetable and fry for a few minutes on medium flame. If desired add chopped onions and fry for a few more minutes and add salt.

Once the vegetables are crunchy or completely cooked add red chili powder and sometimes as in the case of dondakaye add a tsp of besan, fry for a few minutes and remove from flame. Serve hot with rice when the vegetable is crispy and crunchy.

Or completely fry the vegetable; do not add red chili powder. Just before serving add a tsp of oil and fry on high flame and serve hot.

Potato Fry

1 lb Red Potatoes
3 Onions - Optional

If using red potatoes no need to peel, rest of them, wash, peel and cut potatoes in desired shape and size.

Take 3 -4 tsp of oil in a skillet and heat it. Once oil is hot add the chopped potatoes and fry for a few minutes on medium flame. If desired add chopped onions and fry for a few more minutes and add salt.

Once the vegetables are crunchy or completely cooked add red chili powder and remove from flame. Serve hot with rice when the vegetable is crispy and crunchy.

Or completely fry the vegetable; do not add red chili powder. Just before serving add a tsp of oil and fry on high flame and serve hot.

Vegetables that are good for frying are: Potatoes, Plantain (Aritikaye), French-cut beans, Ladies finger (Benadakaye), Karela - Indian bitter gourd, Agakarakaye (another variety in bitter gourd- only this not so bitter), Tindora (Dondakaye).