Food blogger Lorraine Maharaj shares her low budget recipes:
Gram Dal with Brinjal
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour
Servings: 6
Ingredients
1 cup/250ml gram/chana dhal soaked overnight or for a few hours
1 onion finely chopped
1 sprig curry leaf
1 cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
2 dry chillies
2 green chillies
1/2 tsp ginger/garlic paste
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 tspn masala
1/2 tspn garam masala
1 tomato blanched and puréed
1/2 of one large brinjal cut into cubes
1/2 cup water
3 tbs light olive oil or vegetable oil
salt
Method
Rinse the gram dhal well.
Place in a pot and cover it with water.
Boil on medium heat until the gram dhal is soft and tender but still retains its shape.
Cut the brinjal into cubes and soak in some salted water and set aside.
Heat the oil on low heat and add the cinnamon stick, bay leaf, mustard seeds and cumin seeds.
Once the seeds burst, add the, chillies, onion and curry leaf
Once the onion turns slightly brown, add the ginger/garlic paste and fry for a minute.
Add the turmeric and masala and cook for a few seconds
Add the brinjal and allow it to cook until it’s a little tender.
Add the puréed or grated tomato and simmer on a low heat until the brinjal is cooked.
Add the gram dhal, season with salt, cover and simmer on a low heat.
Once it starts drying up, add 1/2 cup of water (or less) and allow it to cook until the gravy thickens. Mix in the garam masala and turn off the heat.
Garnish with chopped coriander.
Serve with Indian bread or basmati rice.
Green Bean Curry
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients
600g green beans sliced
3 tbs vegetable oil
1 onion finely chopped
1 sprig curry leaf
1 large clove garlic minced
1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds (optional)
1 tbs masala
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tomato blanched and grated
salt
Method
Heat the oil and add the fenugreek seeds, onion and curry leaf.
Sauté until the onion is golden brown. Add the garlic and fry for a minute.
Add the masala and turmeric. Fry for a minute. Be careful not to let it burn. Add a few drops of water if necessary.
Add the green beans. Season with salt. Cover and simmer on a low heat.
Halfway through the cooking time, add the tomato. Cook until the green beans are tender.
Notes:
I did not add any water throughout the cooking process. However, if you feel the green beans are drying out too quickly, you can add a few drops of water.
The fenugreek seeds are not necessary but it does give the curry a nutty flavour.
Gadra Borlotti Bean Curry
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour
Servings: 4
Ingredients
1 cup fresh barlotti/gadra beans
1 tbs melted ghee or cooking oil
1 onion finely sliced
2 small cinnamon sticks
2 small bay leaf
1 star aniseed
1 sprig curry leaf
1 green chilli
1 tsp ginger/garlic paste
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp ground fennel seeds/soomph
1 tbs masala
1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder (optional)
2 small roma tomatoes blanched and grated
2 potatoes peeled and cut into large cubes
salt
water
Method
Heat ghee on a medium heat and add the cinnamon stick and star aniseed. Once fragrant, add the bay leaf, onion and curry leaf. Sauté until the onion is slightly brown.
Then add the ginger/garlic paste. Fry for a minute and then add all the spices and fry for at least 2 minutes. Add a few drops of water if required.
Add the beans, season with salt and mix well. Cook for 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook for a further 5 minutes.
Add a cup of water. Cover and cook until the beans are soft. You can add a little more water during the cooking time if it dries out.
Add the potato and more water if required - another half cup. Add another half cup and cook on a low heat. Please note that the amount of water required depends on how much gravy you want and it also depends on how fast or how soft your potatoes cook. Some potatoes cook quickly. Therefore, you have to ensure the beans are soft before adding he potatoes and be careful not to add too much of water. If the potatoes are more firm and it takes longer to cook, you may require more water - as the longer the cooking time the more the gravy will reduce.
Garnish with coriander.
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