by Currylicious | Apr 26, 2012 | Nandini's Food Court

I am a huge fan of Ben Starr from Master Chef Season 2 and have always cheered for him. I feel like apart from being a wonderful chef, he is such a nice person and has been very encouraging. He has now become one of my good friends and my idol. In our recent conversation, Ben had mentioned eggplants and said to me that in India there are so many varieties of eggplants. i promised him that I would publish the recipe of my favorite eggplant curry in his honor. So here goes Ben- my currylicious eggplant dish in your honor!
You can use this eggplant curry with crackers(like in this pic), or with any bread, or pita or on a sandwich:) so enjoy!
by Currylicious | Apr 18, 2012 | Recipes

Ingredients
Extra virgin Olive Oil
1/2 head of Cauliflower
1 large Onion
3 cloves of garlic
5-6 Mint leaves
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
Pinch of turmeric
1 tsp cayenne powder
1 tsp lemon pepper powder
1/2 cup low fat or Greek yoghurt
2 tsp lemon juice
Salt to taste
For garnish
Mint leaves and dried red chilly
Preparation
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Cut the cauliflower to small florets.

Take a bowl and add 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil. To this add all spices, salt, cayenne and whisk well.

Now take a baking pan and transfer the almonds and cauliflower florets. Drizzle the oil mixed with spices onto the florets and toss well so they are evenly coated. Place the pan in the oven for 20 minutes.

Now take a bowl, add yoghurt, salt and whisk in the lemon juice and 1/2 tsp EVOO. Add some mint leaves and mix well.

Now chop the onion lengthwise and finely chop the garlic.
Heat a pan add some EVOO, add the chopped garlic and onions and sauté till onions caramelize a little.

Now after 20 minutes, transfer the cauliflower and almonds from the baking pan to the pan on the gas which has the onions and garlic.

Transfer to a plate and spread the yoghurt over it. For garnish place a sprig of mint and a dried red chilly- enjoy this Currylicious healthy dish and let me know if you liked it:)

by Currylicious | Apr 18, 2012 | Nandini's Food Court

I opened my refrigerator to cook dinner for us and found just cauliflower and some yoghurt!
It was too late to go out and get something and then cook so figured will have to come up with a dish 🙂
I made this awesome healthy cauliflower dish with crunchy almonds, yoghurt, mint and ofcourse my spices!
My husband loved it and the best part is you can use any vegetable for this recipe and I promise it will turn out perfectly CURRYLICIOUS!!!!!!! Look for the recipe in my recipe section and would appreciate your feedback.
by Currylicious | Apr 16, 2012 | Nandini's Food Court

I want to start by introducing all of you to what a “Kadai” is? Kadai in India means a wok:) I prepare this awesome “currylicious” cottage cheese dish in a wok tossed with colored bell peppers, onions and tomatoes. I throw in a bunch of spices that the flavors and smell travel to my neighbours and they say “not again, Nandini- We smell another curry in the making. Are we invited”?
I just feel very generous today 🙂 and would love to share this recipe with all of you. I bet you will fall in love with this currylicious dish!!!
by Currylicious | Apr 16, 2012 | Recipes

Ingredients
1 Onion
1 Green Chilli
1/2 Green bell pepper
1/2 Red bell pepper
3 cloves of garlic
1 inch piece of fresh ginger/ 1 tsp ginger powder
1 Tomato
Indian Cottage Cheese
Canola Oil
1/2 tsp butter
Spices:
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp cayenne powder
1 tsp coriander seeds
2 tsp dried fenugreek leaves
Preparation:
1) Chop onion, bell peppers, ginger and garlic roughly.

2) Grind onions, green chilli, garlic and ginger together.

3) Heat a pan with oil. Add cumin seeds, turmeric,
cayenne, coriander powder and salt to taste.

4) Transfer the ground onion-chilli-garlic-ginger mixture
to the above pan.

5) Mix so that the spices blend with the
mixture and cook for 3 minutes.

6) Puree the fresh tomato

7) Transfer the tomato puree to the pan.

8) Mix and cook for another 3-4 minutes

9) Using mortar and pestle, grind the
fresh coriander seeds.

10) Transfer the ground coriander seeds to the
pan and mix with the peppers and onions.

11) Now is the time add my favorite Indian herb,
dried fenugreek leaves!

12) Using the palm of your hand, crush the leaves
and add it to the pan and mix well.

13) Now carefully transfer the mixture of onions, peppers,
crushed coriander seeds and fenugreek leaves onto the pan
that has the previously cooked onion tomato paste mixture.

14) Mix everything together gently.

15) Now cut the cottage cheese into medium
sized cubes

16) Take another pan. Now this is the only time I would ask you to use the 1/2 teaspoon butter. Trust me!
Follow my recipe and you can prepare restaurant quality curry at home 🙂
Add the butter and toss the cubed cottage cheese till they turn brown.

17) TIME TO PLATEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!