This is a continuation of the saga of the  Aloo Vadas/Fried Potato Dumplings. I will not write much today except for a little note on the evolution of this dish.

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Aloo Methi is a very classic Indian recipe where the potatoes are cooked along with the very aromatic fenugreek leaves.  A very well loved recipe in our family, I make this whenever we get fresh methi/fenugreek leaves.

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Aloo (Potato) and Gobi (Cauliflower): Aloo and Gobi are cooked with myriad of spices. A staple in most Indian restaurants, the name “Aloo gobi” generally refers to this aromatic combination of cauliflower and potato usually cooked in the Northern parts of India, esp. in Punjab. This ever popular dry vegetarian curry has been brought to worldwide fame in Gurindar Chaddha’s Bend it Like Beckham. If you haven’t seen the movie, you have got to see it; no not because of its association with “Aloo Gobi” .

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Fish cooked in a spicy sauce, flavored with nigella seeds, hot green peppers and cooked in mustard oil is a recipe very close to my heart. Memories churn, my heart and body warm up, images slide by and the taste lingers as I savor the peppery fish curry with some hot steamed rice on this chilly winter afternoon.

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A lot of my recent posts have been bookmarked recipes, or the posts I have been using from the draft. With this heat, I have to reduce my time in front of the stove, doing a lot of salads, fresh fruits & quick grilling of fish or chicken. This is one nice recipe to use the seasonal veggies or may be to clean up the refrigerator, before you make your next grocery trip.

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Some added nuts & raisins/craisins crushed into a coarse powder, transforms vegetables from boring to delightful. An uncomplicated & adaptable recipe, this allows you to use any vegetable in any combination you want. Do not groan hearing vegetables… for this is a real lovely way to enjoy them. A teensy bit sweet, a lot spicy & the slight tang, along with the aromatic spices turns them into a delectable side dish.

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Not quite so popular as the Red,Green & Yellow Thai Curry, but a little milder & a lot more aromatic is the Unique Massaman Curry. The flavoring for Massaman curry is called Massaman Curry Paste (nam prik kaeng masaman), which contains very warm & aromatic spices like cinnamon, clove, cardamom, & nutmeg. These popular spices of the Indian Subcontinent combined with the Asian flavors of Lemon grass, Galangal, Kaffir lime leaves, & Fish Sauce, makes it a rich & brimming part of the Thai cuisine.

I did not dare to cook Thai at home for so long,  for I am not very comfortable with the strong smell of the fish sauce & shrimp paste. This Massaman curry paste,  however inspired me to give it a try.  I read thru’ & I realized that I could easily leave out the fish sauce & still have a very authentic & flavorful touch of authentic Thai. Right when I was planning on this, I found some Thai Eggplants & used these for the Massaman Curry. (Any kind of eggplant can be used for this.)

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The very first time I had tasted Jamaican Curry Goat many suns back was in an International Festival. We were trying to decide on our lunch, when we spotted this Spicy Rich Curry & got rooted there. It was served with white rice & some fried Plaintains- & needless to say we were satisfied & pleasurably surprised. Till that day I was under the misconception that that the concept of “Curry” did not go beyond India. How did the Curry travel to the Islands? This is what I found..”Curry, which is popular in Jamaica, was introduced there in the 17th century by East Indian slaves who were brought to the island (then an English colony) by the British.” So along with the immigrants, went the curry, spices & all. Now that explains…

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The other day we went out for dinner with a family who had a question about Indian Culture. They wanted to know why Indian Women wear the “DOT” on their forehead. Well I think that the subject is worth exploring. Why do you think Indian Women wear Bindi? I know it is not just the women, or just the married women, who wear the bindi, or tika, or the tilak. One theory I heard which I never came across is that the point between the forehead is a good accupressure point for expecting women, hence married women wear the so called “dot”. Please let me know your views…

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I remember the time when back in India many moons back we used to live in a joint family. My grandparents, uncles, aunts  & cousins all lived in a big house, ate all together in one long dining table. Sunday afternoon lunches were always beautiful times when everyone was home, relaxed & talking for hours over food. Even tho’ I might have been only about 6 or 7 years old, I still  remember that one of the dishes used to be mutton curry or chicken curry. The hot steaming curry, used to be placed at the  center of the table, & all us little kids eyed it with utmost enthusiasm, while waiting for our turns.

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