It is a coincidence that I start my blog with poi tarkari….. one of my father’s favorites. It is also one year today that he left for the heavenly abode. So this is for you Bapa.
I learnt all the tips and tricks of vegetarian cooking from my mum-in-law. My mum being a die hard lover of fish, we grew up on a staple of bhaata, dali, aloo bharta, maacha bhaja, tomato chutney for lunch. Growing up, for us vegetarian food was either kobi aloo kassa or bhendi aloo bhaja. Egg in our house also featured in the veg category.
Call it age or destiny, I have turned vegetarian and relish the vegetarian delicacies. As my husband and I have moved abroad with a 3and half year old, I make frantic calls to my mum-in-law asking her for her recipies.
Ingredients :
5 cups poi saaga ( Malabar spinach – with stems, split the stems longitudinally if too thick)
2 cups pumkin
1 cup brinjal
1/2cup potato
1/2cup yam or mati aloo (substitute this for plain aloo if not available)
1 cup ridge gourd (jahni)
for the masala – into the mixer
1/2 onion (medium)
1 inch ginger
3-4 cloves of garlic
1/2 teaspoon mustard(whole)
1 teaspoon jeera (whole)
1 teaspoon dhaniya ( whole)
Blend to a smooth paste
mustard oil (3 tablespoons)
salt
turmeric
hot water(1.5 cups)
4-5 biri badi
How to get it all together :
In a big Kadhai, add mustard oil. Once hot, add all the veggies and saaga to be tossed(for them to retain their flavour).Add salt after a 2-3 minutes. Saute them till half cooked. Should take 6-8 mins in all.
In a smaller fry pan, add mustard oil to fry the masala paste. No tempering needed. Add salt and turmeric. Once cooked the oil should separate as they say. (I taste it for confirmation). Now add this masala to the big kadhai with veggies and add hot water. Cover and simmer on low heat for all the flavours to come together. (For about 5-7 mins)
If you are lucky to have bou or mum in law‘s badi, then you could fry it in hot oil and add to the tarkari at the last stage. Toss everything around with a kharika (Flat ladle used to lift dosas)
Poi tarkari is ready….with hot steaming rice it is heavenly.
Caution – Non vegetarians might miss the small prawns here.. but feel free to add fried prawns to the tarkari in the end. For the strong hearted, fried maacha munda is also another option.
Foodforthesoul 