SWEET TOMATO CHUTNEY

Indian chutneys have gained world wide popularity owing to their taste. Tomato  chutney here stands as no exception. Tomato chutney in the present recipe would taste of course sweet but with a twist of sourness of lemon and a surprise element of hotness from chillies. The chutney  can be stored in a refrigerator for  long term usage.

GOES WELL WITH: Peas Pulav, Naan, Pita Bread, Roti, Mutigrain Bread, vanilla ice cream.

TIME TAKEN: 20 mins approx

POINTER:
When dealing with lemon juice (in order to make the food tad sour) always turn off the heat and then add the juice, else the heat will kill the sourness of the fruit.

INGREDIENTS:

1.  1/2 Kg Tomato
2.  1 tsp Oil
3.  1 green Chilli
4.  100 gms Sugar
5.  1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds
6.  1 Dry chilli
7.  1/2 tsp salt
8.  Juice of 1 lemon

METHOD
1.   Cut the tomatoes into 1/2 inch pieces.
2.   Heat the oil in a wok, add mustard seeds and break the dry chilli into the hot oil, let them crackle.
3.  Add the tomatoes and salt, cover with  lid for next 10 mins.
4.   Open the lid, the tomatoes should slightly come out of their skins and must have partially cooked.
5.   Add chillies and sugar. Cook until the sugar has melted itself into the chutney.
6.   Turn off the heat, add lemon juice and cover.
7.  Try the chutney in room temperature, of course it tastes divine  when served cold.

INDIAN POTATO EGG MASH

Everyone loves mash potato salad. The soft cloudy texture combined with creamy and subtle  flavours are favourite among old and young alike. The recipe below is a twist to the traditional Indian version of potato salad. At my home we eat this with rice and dal or use it as a sandwich filling or even just like that.

GOES WELL WITH: Steamed or Jeera Rice, Dal, White bread sandwich, Rotis or Nan.

WHAT TO DRINK: Any cola Drink in healthier version cranberry juice tastes divine with this.

TIME TAKEN : 10 - 15 mins.

INGREDIENTS:
1.  150 gms Potato
2.  4 fresh Eggs
3.  1/2 tsp  vegetable Oil
4.  Few Curry leaves
5.  1/2 tsp  mustard seeds
6.  Salt to taste

POINTERS:
1. If you are a  working person then a quick fix can be, just boiling and refrigerating potatoes. You can use them  as per your dish requirement and a stock of boiled potatoes is a neat way of keeping a potential home cooked meal almost ready.
2. While boiling egg and potatoes together, bear  in mind that once you are done with boiling and you have released the steam of the pressure cooker, immediately transfer the eggs into cold water. This is done to stop the cooking process.

METHOD:
1.  Peel potatoes, place them along with the eggs in a pressure cooker, add a pinch of salt and close the lid and let the potatoes and eggs get cooked.
2.  Once they are done, place the eggs into cold water and potatoes in a mesh and drain out excess water.
3.  Peel the eggs and mash the potatoes and eggs roughly in a bowl (we want the bits of the eggs and potato, and not paste of them). Preferably mash them with hand.
4.  In a Ladle, pour in the oil and  place the curry leaves and mustard seeds and place it on fire.
5. Once the mustard and the curry leaves start to crackle turn off the heat and turn over the contents of the ladle into the mix of potatoes and eggs already in the bowl. Add salt and mix well.
6.  Enjoy the dish hot with roti or nan, place a slice of cheese on bread and then make a sandwich with this filling and with rice try eating this beauty at room temperature.

POTATO POSTO

A classic Bengali Comfort food. A semi dry poppy seed and  potato curry. Of course the traditional version of the curry is time consuming and the recipe below reduces the cooking time to half. After a hectic day this comfort food is the best thing that one can think of. "Posto" in Bengali means Poppy seeds and the name reflects the fact that the base of the dish will be the humble poppy seeds. East and West Bengal have their own respective versions. However, my version is more of East Bengal than the West. My recipe is a healthier version since instead of frying the potato I have  pressure cooked it and used only 2 tsp of oil including the garnish.

GOES WELL WITH: Steamed Rice, Yellow lentil soup / Dal.

WHAT TO  DRINK: Any Wine or Bombay Sapphire any other soft drink of your choice.

TIME TAKEN: 15-20 mins.

INGREDIENTS:
1.  250 gms Potato
2.  2.5 tbsp Poppy seeds
3.  1 tsp Oil
4.  1/2 tsp Turmeric
5.  1/2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
6.  1 Green Chilli
7.  Salt to taste
8.  1/2 tsp Sugar
9.  1 tsp Mustard Oil

 POINTERS
1.  Whenever you are dealing with potatoes, always try to cut them uniformly and keep them in water, else the vegetable will become brown.
2.  Soak the poppy seeds in warm water this will make the seeds soft fast and easy to work with.
3.  If you want to cook West Bengal version of the  Dish, then go light on the chillies and heavy on the sugar. West Bengal vegetarian cuisine is comparatively more sweeter on palate than the East Bengal cuisine.

METHOD

1.  Cut the potatoes in 1 inch cube and keep them in water.
2.  In a pressure cooker put water and add a pinch of salt to bring down the boiling point and add to it the   potatoes and lid it and cook it till the potatoes are done.
3.  Soak the poppy seeds in warm water for around 10 minutes and then make a fine paste.  keep aside.
4.  In a cup add the turmeric and chilli powder and add 1/2 a cup of water, let the spices soak in it.
4.  In a wok  heat a tea spoon of oil and once the oil is hot enough add the turmeric-chilli powder- water paste in it. let the  water dry and  paste fry in the oil until the mixture leaves oil from the side.
5.  Add the green chillies (straight split from the centre) to the wok.
6.  Add the boiled potatoes along with some water from the pressure cooker along with salt and bring the curry to a boil.
7.  Once the curry starts boiling add the poppy seed paste and let the curry boil for next 2 minutes.
8.  When the curry will start to thicken up add the mustard oil and immediately  turn off the heat.
9.  Enjoy it hot or cold. It tastes great all the time!!