Food talk
The five-rupee challenge

Gone are the days when one got a bowlful of dal, free with four tandoori rotis and for 25 paise a half plate of subzi. We have vivid memories on many such lunches at the Azad Dhabha at Shankar Market in New Delhi in the mid 1960s. We were recently challenged by a friend to prepare and serve a katori of vegetables that cost less than Rs five. The recipe we share blends elements of jhaal frazie with mixed vegetables. Now to be honest the ingredients cost a little less than Rs 20 but provided enough finished material to fill to the brim four medium-sized katoris. We don't think readers will quibble with our claim that we have finger-licked the five-rupee challenge.

Method

Heat oil in a non-stick pan to smoking point. Reduce the flame and put in the bay leaf along with other whole spices. As they change colour, add onions and garlic ginger paste. Stir-fry for 30 seconds and put in the phool gobhi and baigan. Continue stir-frying for a minute and slowly stir in the dahi mixed with a little water to avoid curdling. Now add the peas with powdered spices-mix gently to blend. Put in the potatoes and capsicum stir well to mix. Finally, put in the tomatoes. Pour `BC cup of boiling water and simmer for a minute. Temper with a pinch of cumin or mustard seeds and green chillies. Drizzle/sprinkle `BD tsp of melted butter or hot ghee if you feel like splurging. You may, like us, just meet the five-rupees challenge!

Ingredients

Cauliflower (Broken into florets and 200g

blanched in boiling water for two minutes)

Potatoes (medium, boiled, peeled and quartered) two

Tomato (small, quartered) one

Capsicum (cut into small bite sized pieces) half

Baigan (long, cut into round discs `BD inch thick) one

Green peas (frozen, rehydrated in warm water) 2 tsp

Onion (small, finely sliced) one

Bay leaf one

Cloves 2-3

Brown cardamom one

Cinnamon ½ inch piece

Ginger-garlic paste 1 tsp

Dahi (whisked) 2 tbsp

Dhaniya powder 1 tsp

Haldi powder ¼ tsp

Deghi lal mirch ¼ tsp

Green chillies (Slit length wise and two

deseeded if mild dish is preferred)

Mustard oil 2 tbsp

Salt to taste

HOME