Tres platos vegetarianos para usted!

Earlier today I stopped by the Indian Supermarket and picked up some fresh Fenugreek leaves.

It was kinda windy all day today and I decided I will cook 3 dishes today:
1) Fenugreek Lentil Stew, 2) South Indian Style Spicy Mashed Potato and 3) Green Bean Lentil Crumble.

I posted my recipe for Green Bean Lentil Crumble (Beans Paruppu Usili) in June 2010. Please refer to the post Three Dishes for dinner for the recipe.

Below, I have provided my recipes for items 1 and 2.

Fenugreek Lentil Stew (Venthaya Keerai Kootu in Tamil)

Ingredients:
Fresh Fenugreek leaves --- removed from the stem, washed
Curry leaves - 10 - finely chopped
Mustard seeds - 1 Tsp
Green Chilies - 5  --- diced
Channa Daal - 1/2 cup
Mung Daal - 1/2 cup (the kind that has been husked and polished)
Toor Daal - 1 cup
Sesame oil - 3 Tbsp
1 Large onion - diced
3 cloves of garlic - diced

Preparation:

1. Cook the lentils (Channa, Mung and Toor) until tender.
2. In a large heavy-bottomed pan, heat up the oil.
3. Splutter the mustard seeds in the oil. Turn down the heat.
4. Throw in the curry leaves, onions, garlic and chilies. Saute for about 3-5 minutes on medium heat. The onions need not be caramelized.
5. Add the Fenugreek leaves and the lentil mixture. Cook on low heat until the leaves are cooked.
6. Add salt to taste.

South Indian Spicy Mashed Potatoes (Urulai Kizhangu Podimaas in Tamil) 


Ingredients:
6 medium size red/white potatoes - thoroughly washed
Curry leaves - 10 - finely chopped
Mustard seeds - 1 Tsp
Green Chilies - 5  --- diced
Toor Daal - 1 Tsp
Sesame oil - 3 Tbsp
Diced ginger root - 2 Tbsp
Diced cilantro - 1 Tbsp

Preparation:

1. Boil the potatoes until they are tender - NOT mushy. No need to remove the skins.
2. In a large heavy-bottomed pan, heat up the oil.
3. Splutter the mustard seeds in the oil. Turn down the heat.
4. Throw in the curry leaves, ginger and chilies.
5. Add the potatoes. Use a potato masher to mash the potatoes.
6. Cook on medium heat for about 3 minutes. Stir often.
   
7. Garnish with cilantro.
8. Add salt to taste.

Bon appetit' :)

PS. Many practitioners of alternative medicine and naturopathy recommend Fenugreek to diabetics.