Namaste,
There is so much joy in cooking and feeding everyone.
Often, i am asked “how did you learn to cook?”
I reply that i learned to cook from Ma and Baba and Kashi is my cooking school.
I am so grateful and love learning.
My Guru teaches me in all ways, from people, books, the web, and experience.
This is called the Grace of the Guru.
In my first year of cooking, it was time to make an Indian meal and I knew nothing about Indian cooking. I was walking to Kashi house and passed through a breeze way that had some out door closets. I opened a door and there were boxes of books. I pulled out a box. All the books were placed sideways so you couldn’t read the title. The first book i pulled out was an Indian cookbook!
This cookbook is where i learned how to cook Indian food.
This recipe came from that cookbook many years ago and is the recipe i still use today. It is a joy to share with you. Thank you Ma and Baba. It is all by your Grace.
Love Swami Rudra Das
Always at the Feet of my Guru, Ma Jaya Sati Bhagavati
Ingredients:
- Base of the Curry:
- 2.5 lbs. Potatoes – Russet – Organic
- 1 Onion (Large or 2 small) – Organic
- 4 Garlic Cloves – minced – Organic
- 1 Ginger Root – minced – Organic
- Vegetable Oil or Ghee (clarified butter) – Organic
- Spices:
- Pinch Cumin Seeds – Whole – Organic
- Pinch Brown Mustard Seeds – Whole – Organic
- Pinch of Red Chile Flakes or a few Whole Dried Red Chiles – Organic
- 2 teaspoons Cumin Ground – Organic
- 2 teaspoons Coriander Ground – Organic
- 2/3 teaspoon Turmeric Ground – Organic
- 2/3 teaspoon Garam Masala – Organic – (Indian & Health Food Markets)
- 1/3 teaspoon Black Pepper – Organic
- 1 1/2 teaspoons – Himalayan Salt
- Vegetable Stock:
- 3 Celery Stalks – Organic
- 1 Onion – Organic
- 2 Carrots – Organic
- 4 cups Water
- Additional Vegetables: (what you like, these are some suggestions)
- 1/2 bag Green Peas – frozen – Organic
- 1/2 bunch Asparagus – Organic
- 1 bunch Green Beans – Organic
Utensils:
- Wok or Large Skillet
- Cutting Board
- Knife
- Pot and Lid
- Colander or Strainer
Directions:
Step 1: Make the Vegetable Stock.
First we prep the stock vegetables. Peel the carrot and onion. Wash the celery (keep the leaves, it is great for flavor), rinse the carrots and onion and cut into large pieces. Place into the pot and add 4 cups of water. Cover with lid, bring to a boil and lower to simmer for 15 minutes. Now strain the liquid into another pot, you can save the cooked stock vegetables to eat later. Cover the stock and leave to the side for later.
Step 2: Prep the Potatoes.
Now we peel the potatoes and place into a bowl with water (keeps them from turning brown). Pee the onion, peel the ginger root, and peel the garlic cloves. Rinse them all and put to the side. Medium to small dice the onion. Finely chop the garlic and then the ginger, place to the side in a bowl. Now we dice the potatoes into a medium to large chowder size cube. Place them in a pot, cover with water, cover with lid and bring to boil , lower to simmer and cook until just tender. Strain and leave to the side.
Step 3: Prep the Additional Vegetables – optional if you have them .
Thaw green peas in a colander with running water. Place to the side. Wash and cut asparagus into bite size pieces. The trick to prepping asparagus is to break one stalk. Where it snaps in half, use the top part only because the bottom half is tough. Wash and prep your green beans, leave to the side.
Step 4: Cook the Spices.
Place wok or large skillet on stove and put on medium heat. Add some oil or ghee to the pan and then add the cumin seeds and mustard seeds. When they start to pop add the diced onion and minced garlic and ginger, stir together well. Now add the chile flakes or whole chilies. Now the ground cumin, ground coriander, turmeric, garam masala, salt, black pepper. If it is too dry add some oil or ghee. Frequently stir the spices (so they do not burn) on low to medium heat for about 15 minutes and until the onion is translucent.
Step 5: Add Potatoes and Vegetable Stock to Finish the Curry Base. Then the Additional Vegetables and Serve.
Add the precooked diced potatoes and mix well into the cooked spices. Add 2 cups of the vegetable stock and mix well with the heat on medium. After a few minutes the sauce will thicken from the potatoes. Add more stock if want the curry to be saucier. Stir well and taste. Add more salt if needed. Now the curry base is finished. Next steam or blanch the asparagus green beans, and green peas. Fold the cooked additional vegetables into the curry.
Serve and enjoy!!!
Love Swami Rudra Das