Palak with Corn - Spinach Bhaaji 1

Ingredients:

2 tsp peanut oil
1 cup frozen chopped spinach (palak) leaves (thaw and squeeze water out) or use 1 cup cooked fresh spinach

1 cup fresh or frozen or canned corn, washed and drained

Recipe:

Heat oil in a flat pan or Kadhai (wok)

Add mustard seeds and let them pop.
Remove from heat and add 1/8th tsp hing powder and 1/4 tsp turmeric powder.
Return to heat and add 2-3 dry red chilli peppers.
Add corn and stir. Let it get cooked.
Add spinach and keep stirring.
Add salt to taste.  Keep stirring until spinach gets cooked.

Serve as a side dish with chapati, paratha, puri, naan or pita bread..

Notes:

1) I use the same recipe for other green leafy vegetables.. 
2) I use Toufayan pita bread. I roast pita bread on top of stove (using cake cooling rack). I use tongs and keep turning the bread until it puffs up and then open it and apply 1 tsp ghee on it. I serve this immediately.
3) Glossary of Vegetables - Indian Names
http://www.syvum.com/recipes/indian/glossv1.html

Butternut Squash Bhaaji

Ingredients:

1 small butternut squash.
3-4 tsp peanut oil
1/4 tsp black mustard seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/8 tsp hing powder
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp methi seeds
1/2 tsp black masala (optional)
2-3 green chilies cut into 1/2" pieces (optional)
salt to taste
1-2 tsp gud (Indian brown sugar) - this recipe might need more gud if squash is not sweet
If you cannot find gud, use brown sugar
handful fresh coriander leaves (cilantro leaves) chopped finely
2-3 tsp fresh grated coconut

Recipe:

Peel butternut squash, and remove seeds.
Cut squash into 1"x 1" pieces.
Cook squash in microwave for 3-4 minutes or in pressure cooker.
Prepare oil tempering with mustard seeds, and methi seeds. Let methi seeds get lightly brown and
then add hing powder, turmeric.
Add green chilies.
Add cooked squash.
Add gud, salt, chili powder and 1/4 cup water.
Add 1/2 tsp black masala (optional)
Cook for 5 minutes until water evaporates.
Add chopped cilantro, fresh coconut and mix well.
Serve with chapaties or thick rotis (bhakari) or pita bread.

Notes:

1) I use the same recipe for red pumpkin also.
2) Glossary of Vegetables - Indian Names
http://www.syvum.com/recipes/indian/glossv1.html

Butternut Squash Salad 1

Ingredients:

1 small butternut squash
1/4 cup chopped peanuts (optional)
2 tsp ghee for tempering
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
2-3 green chilies
salt to taste
1 tsp sugar
1 cup plain yogurt
handful fresh coriander leaves (cilantro leaves) chopped finely

Recipe:

Peel butternut squash, and remove seeds.
Cut squash into 1"x 1" pieces.
Cook squash in microwave for 5 minutes or in pressure cooker.
Mash it with a fork.
Add yogurt, salt, sugar, peanut powder(optional) and mix well.
Prepare ghee tempering with cumin seeds and chilies (1/8 tsp hing powder is optional).
Add it to squash and mix well.
Add chopped cilantro.
Serve as a side dish with chapaties or thick rotis (bhakari) or pita bread.

Notes:

1) I use the same recipe for red pumpkin.
2) I use the same recipe for roasted green bell pepper. Roast peppers directly on top of stove or in the oven and let them cool. Then remove skin, seeds and the stem and chop them into small pieces.
2) I use Toufayan pita bread. I roast pita bread on top of stove (using cake cooling rack). I use tongs and keep turning the bread until it puffs up and then open it and apply 1 tsp ghee on it. I serve this immediately.

Eggplant Salad 2

Ingredients:

1 large or 2 medium eggplants
1 large onion chopped fine (optional)
1/4 cup chopped peanuts (optional)
2 tsp canola oil or peanut oil
1/4 tsp black mustard seeds
1/8 tsp hing powder (asafoetida)
2-3 green chilies
1 tsp chilli powder (cheaper in Indian store) - optional
salt to taste
1/4 tsp sugar
1/2 cup plain yogurt.
handful fresh coriander leaves (cilantro leaves) chopped finely

Recipe:

Wash eggplant, dry it and rub few drops of oil on it.
Roast eggplant on top of the stove directly (I use cake cooling rack). Keep it turning until cooked from all sides. Let it cool on a plate. It will give out liquid. Discard the liquid and peel the skin.
Mash the eggplant with a fork.
Add yogurt, salt, sugar, onion (optional), peanut powder(optional) and mix well.
Prepare oil tempering with black mustard seeds, hing powder and chilies.
Add it to eggplant and mix well.
Add chopped cilantro.
Serve with chapaties or thick rotis (bhakari) or pita bread.
I use Toufayan pita bread. I roast pita bread on top of stove (using cake cooling rack). I use tongs and keep turning the bread until it puffs up and then open it and apply 1 tsp ghee on it. Serve it immediately.

Notes:

1) Use as a side dish or serve as a dip with pita bread as an appetizer.

Eggplant Salad 1

Ingredients:

1 large or 2 medium eggplants
1 large onion chopped fine
3-4 tsp peanut oil
1/4 tsp black mustard seeds
1/8 tsp hing powder (asafoetida) or 3 large cloves of garlic cut lengthwise
1/2 tsp turmeric powder (cheaper in Indian store)
2-3 green chilies
1 tsp chilli powder (cheaper in Indian store) - optional
salt to taste
1/4 tsp sugar
1-2 tsp lemon juice
handful fresh coriander leaves (cilantro leaves) chopped finely

Recipe:

Wash eggplant, dry it and rub few drops of oil on it.
Roast eggplant on top of the stove directly (I use cake cooling rack). Keep it turning until cooked from all sides. Let it cool on a plate. It will give out liquid. Discard the liquid and peel the skin.
Mash the eggplant with a fork.
Prepare oil tempering
Add hing powder or garlic.
Add turmeric powder and chilies.
Add chopped onions and cook well.
Add mashed eggplant.
Add chilli powder.
Add salt, sugar and lemon juice.
Mix well and cook over medium-high heat for 2 minutes.
Add chopped cilantro.
Serve with chapaties or thick rotis (bhakari) or pita bread.
I use Toufayan pita bread. I roast pita bread on top of stove (using cake cooling rack). I use tongs and keep turning the bread until it puffs up and then open it and apply 1 tsp ghee on it. Serve it immediately.

Notes:

1) Use as a side dish or serve as a dip for an appetizer.
2) Asafoetida or garlic is used as antigas. 
3) You can add chopped onions raw. 
4) You can add 1 chopped medium tomato instead of lemon juice.