Cook Share and Feast

Ingredients

• 1 medium purple eggplant
• 2 small ash plantains
• 1 ½ cups water
• 2 teaspoons Sri Lankan chili powder
• 1 teaspoon fennel seed powder
• ¼ teaspoon tamarind paste
• 3 tablespoons milk
• Salt to taste
• 2 teaspoons canola oil
• 1/3 cup sliced onion (red onion better)
• 2 garlic cloves chopped into small pieces
• 1/8 teaspoon cumin seed
• ¼ teaspoon mustard seed
• Curry leaves

Method

• Cut eggplant into cubes
• Peel ash plantain and cut them into cubes

• Add cut eggplant, ash plantain, water, salt, chili powder and tamarind to a covered saucepan and cover and cook on a medium flame for about 10 minutes
• Add fennel seed powder and milk and cook for another 3 – 4 minutes on low flame
• Set aside
• Add oil to a skillet and add mustard seed and cumin seed.
• Once mustard seed start splattering add onion and garlic and fry until they are golden brown
• Add curry leaves and fry for another minute
• Add this fried mixture into the curry and mix well and re-heat for a minute
• Serve with rice

Ingredients:

• 4 medium capsicums
• ¾ – 1 cup water
• 2 teaspoons Sri Lankan chili powder
• Salt to taste
• 1/3 cup red onion sliced
• 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
• Curry leaves
• 1 tablespoon oil

Curry Powder:

• 1 teaspoon coriander seed
• ½ teaspoon cumin seed
• ¼ teaspoon fennel seed
• 3 cloves
• ¼ inch cinnamon stick
• 1 cardamom pod

Method

Curry Powder:

• Dry roast all the curry powder ingredients and grind them to a powder and set aside
• Split capsicum length wise and discard seeds and pith
• Slice each half into very thin strips and then cut them diagonally into 2 – 3 pieces
• Place capsicum, water, chili powder, salt in a covered saucepan and cook in a medium flame until the gravy thickens and capsicum is ¾ cooked
• Add 1 teaspoon of prepared curry powder (add more or less depending on your flavor)  and cook on low flame for another 3 – 4 minutes
• Meanwhile add oil to skillet and add onion and garlic and sauté until they are golden
• Add curry leaves and fry for another minute
• Transfer this into the curry and mix well

Ingredients

• ½ cup dried black-eyed peas
• 2 cups chopped button mushrooms
• 1 teaspoon canola oil
• ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
• ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1/8 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• 2 teaspoons crushed garlic
• 2 teaspoons crushed ginger
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1/8 teaspoon turmeric powder
• ¼ teaspoon chili powder
• ½ cup chopped tomato
• 1 ½ cups water
• 2 tablespoons yogurt
• Salt to taste

Method

• Add enough water to black-eyed peas and cook with a little bit salt until ¾ done
• Set aside
• In a covered saucepan add oil and add mustard seeds.
• When they start splattering, add fennel, fenugreek seed and fry for a few seconds (about 25-30 seconds)
• Add cumin, coriander, turmeric and chili powders and fry in a very low flame for about 30 seconds – 1 minute (if the flame is too high or if you fry too long, it will start smoking)
• Add cooked black-eyed peas, mushrooms and chopped tomato, salt and cover and cook on a medium flame for about 15 minutes
• Add yogurt and cook for another minute or two.