Lip-smacking recipes: Nutty veggies and more

Take your pick from amongst preparations as diverse as Baby Corn Manchurian to Ghee Rice and Bitter Gourd Curd Kurma.

First up is Saritha's mum's recipe for Baby Corn Manchurian:

• 8 pieces of baby corn
• 3 tbsps corn flour
• 1 onions
• 5 green chillies
• 1/2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• Coriander leaves, chopped
• 2-3 curry leaves
• Salt to taste
• 1 cup corn flakes
• Oil to fry

Method:

• Cut baby corn to thin slices diagonally and keep aside.
• In a bowl add finely chopped onions and green chillies, garlic-ginger paste, pepper (optional), salt to the corn flour and add a little water to make it of mirchi bhajji consistency.
• Now dip the baby corn pieces in the batter and gently roll the dipped pieces in the corn flakes to coat.
• Deep fry the baby corn pieces in oil.
• Remove from oil once when golden brown.
• Garnish with crispy fried curry leaves.

Health quotient: Baby corn is rich in Vitamin B1, Vitamin B5. Corn is also rich in folates, that help in generating new cells in the body; and curry leaves are rich in iron.

Ashta Latha U sends in this recipe of Nutty Vegetables with a Twist:

Cuisine: South East Asian

Type: Vegetarian

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 large potatoes peeled and cut into one-inch cubes
• 2 large carrots potatoes peeled and cut into ¼-inch cubes
• 15 Beans cut into one-inch long pieces
• 3 large onions, sliced
• 2 large tomatoes, sliced
• 1/2 cup peanuts, roasted, dehusked and powdered
• 1/2 cup peas
• 1 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1 tbsp chilli powder
• 1/2 tbsp turmeric
• Salt to taste
• 4 tbsps refined oil
• 1-inch ginger finely chopped
• 5 pods of garlic finely chopped
• Water
• Lemon grass
• Mint
• Basil leaves

Method:

• Boil about 2 cups of water, add in 2 tsps of salt, add the potatoes and boil for 15 minutes.
  Drain the water and set aside to cool.
• Again boil 2 cups of water, add 2 tsps of salt, add in the peas, carrots and beans and boil for 15 minutes.
• Drain the water and set aside to cool.
• Heat 4 tsps of oil and add finely chopper ginger, garlic and green chillies and fry till golden brown.
• Add the onions and tomatoes and cook till the onions turn transparent.
• Remove half of the mixture and set aside to cool.
• In the other half add garam masala, chilli powder, turmeric and keep stirring for two minutes.
• Add in the boiled potatoes, peas, beans and carrot and mix well.
• Add salt to taste.
• Grind the onion and tomato mixture that has been set aside and add it to the vegetables
• Mix it in with the vegetables and cook for about 5 minutes on medium flame.
• Finally add the grounded peanut powder and transfer to a bowl. Garnish with lemon grass, mint and basil leaves.

Health quotient: It has a good mixture of portions and carbohydrates with less fat.

Anil Kumar K shares his mum's recipe for Ghee Rice:

Cuisine: South Indian

Type: Vegetarian

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 cups raw rice
• 1 medium-sized onion, sliced finely
• 3 tbsps ghee
• 1 cinammon
• 1 clove
• 1 cardammon
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp chopped cashew nuts
• 3 green chillies, minced
• 1/2 tsp ginger paste
• 1/2 tsp garlic paste
• Salt to taste
• 2 tsp chopped coriander leaves

Method:

• Heat the ghee in a pan and add the cinnamon cloves, cashew nuts, cumin and cardamom.
• Fry for 10 seconds and add the ginger-garlic paste.
• Fry for another 10 seconds and then add the green chillies and onion.
• Fry till the onions turn light brown.
• Now add the rice and salt to taste.
• Let the rice fry for about 5-6 minutes and get coated with the ghee mixture
• Now add 4 cups of water and pressure-cook or cook in the microwave till the rice is completely done. You can also cook it on the stovetop, by keeping it covered on a low flame.
• Serve hot garnished with chopped coriander leaves.

Health quotient: As this dish contains ghee I consider it healthy

Mathew shares his mum's recipe for Bitter Gourd Curd Kurma:

Cuisine: South Indian

Type: Vegetarian

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/4 kg bitter gourd
• 1/4 kg curd
• 1/4 coconut
• 3 green chillies
• 10 curry leaves
• 2 red chillies
• Mustard
• 2 tsps oil
• Salt to taste

Method:

• Cut the bitter gourd into very small pieces after removing seeds.
• Heat oil in a fry pan and add mustard, curry leaves.
• Add red chilli and cut bitter gourd and fry on low flame till it turns medium brown.
• Grate the coconut and grind it along with green chillies.
• Mildly grind the ingredients of bitter gourd mixture for about ten seconds.
• Mix with the coconut mixture and heat it for a while.
• Turn off the flame. Add curd and stir well.

Health quotient: Good for stomach and diabetes patients.