I recommend English cucumber for this recipe, which has thinner skin, fewer seeds and a sweeter taste than the “kheera” cucumber.

The primary seasoning in this recipe is a dry mustard-fenugreek spice blend. Check out the link for the steps to prepare this spice blend – you can make a batch and store it for later use.

You Need:

[For 2-3 servings]

• English cucumber – 250 grams
• Green chili – 2 (adjust to taste)
• Ginger – 1/2-inch stick
• Fresh lime juice – 1/2 tablespoon
• Mustard-fenugreek powder – 1 teaspoon
• Turmeric powder – 1/3 teaspoon [buy here]
• Salt – 1 teaspoon or to taste
• Mustard oil – 1/2 tablespoon [buy here]

The links above are amazon.com affiliate links. The Steaming Pot will earn a small commission if you buy via the links, at no additional cost to you.

In the picture above English cucumber, ginger, lime, green chilies, mustard-fenugreek powder.

How To Make Cucumber Side Dish with Mustard and Lime:

1. Before you cook

Crush the ginger. Slit the green chilies diagonally.

Snip the ends off the cucumber.

To reduce the cucumber’s bitterness: Rub the cut end against the rest of the cucumber till a foamy substance oozes out. Stop when you see no new foam being formed (about a minute). Rinse.

Note: Some say this trick is a myth. I don’t know – I do this always and believe it works. Even if I’m mistaken, this trick is fun! Here’s an article/video with more detail about it.

Cut the cucumber into wedges about 1.5 inch long. De-seed if the cucumber has too many seeds. (The English cucumber generally does not need de-seeding.)

2. Into the pan

Heat mustard oil in a pan or kadhai. When the oil is hot, set heat to low and add turmeric powder, crushed ginger, slit green chilies. Give it all a quick stir and follow with cucumber wedges.

Cook for 4-5 minutes on high heat, turning the cucumber regularly to avoid burning. Sprinkle salt to taste and mustard-fenugreek powder. Mix.

Cook another minute, then switch off the heat. Squeeze the juice of fresh lime over the cooked cucumber. And that’s it! Your cucumber side dish with mustard and lime is ready to serve.

Meal below: chapatis, aloo tamatar sabzi, chaulai saag, cucumber with mustard and lime, fresh mooli sticks.

Notes:

Do more with cucumber – check out these recipes:

Other ways to use mustard-fenugreek powder:

The post Cucumber Side Dish with Mustard and Lime appeared first on The Steaming Pot.

Before the recipe, a note on the starring ingredient: chayote or chow chow as it’s called where I live. In case this vegetable is unfamiliar to you, read about it in its debut post on The Steaming Pot: my easy chayote stew recipe.

…and if you live anywhere near Bangalore, make the chayote a must-have part of your grocery shopping. Why, did you ask? Well, look at its price for one:

Yes – I had to rub my eyes to believe it too. You can actually buy a kilogram of chayote for Rs. 2.97!

Before the recipe, here’s a pic of chayote tomato curry served alongside anar kheera salad, panchmel dal, dahi and rice.

Ingredients:

[For 4-5 servings]

• Chayote – 500 grams (1 large/2 small)
• Tomatoes – 400 grams (4 large)
• Green chili – 1 or 2 (adjust to taste)
• Salt – to taste
• Kashmiri red chili powder – 1 teaspoon [buy here]
• Turmeric powder – 1/4 teaspoon [buy here]
• Asafoetida powder – a pinch [buy here]
• Mustard seeds – 1 teaspoon [buy here]
• Mustard oil – 1 tablespoon
• Fresh coriander leaves – for garnishing

The links above are amazon.com affiliate links. The Steaming Pot will earn a small commission if you buy via the links, at no additional cost to you.

How To Make Chayote Tomato Curry:

Wash the chayote and boil till softened. If using an Indian-style pressure cooker, boil on high heat until you hear a whistle. If using a large chayote, boil until you hear two whistles.

Let the boiled chayote rest till it is cool enough to handle. Peel off the skin, remove the seed, chop into 2-cm chunks.

Quarter the tomatoes and place in a mixie or food processor. Puree the tomatoes.

Heat a tablespoon of mustard oil in a pan. Add a teaspoon of mustard seeds to the hot oil. Let the seeds splutter.

Follow with a pinch of asafoetida powder and a few seconds later, the whole green chilies and the tomato puree. Stir in salt to taste.

Let the tomato puree bubble and hiss for five minutes on medium heat; stir every minute. Mix turmeric powder, red chili powder and cook for another minute.

You will see the puree thicken and darken as it cooks. At this stage, add the chow chow cubes to the cooking tomato puree.

Add half a cup of water and bring to a bubbling boil. Set the heat to low and let the curry stew covered for 15 minutes. Stir around once or twice in between to ensure even cooking.

When the curry has thickened and the chayote pieces have softened and blended well with the tomatoes, switch off the heat and give the pan rest time for another 10 minutes.

Chayote tomato curry is ready. Serve hot garnished with fresh coriander leaves, on the side with chapatis or rice.

Meal below: chayote tomato curry with spring onion jhunka, baingan bhaja, boiled rice.

Related Recipes:

Interested in trying out more chayote / chow chow dishes? Check out:

Like the idea of tomato-based stews? There are more on The Steaming Pot, see:

The post Chow Chow Tamatar: Chayote Tomato Curry appeared first on The Steaming Pot.

This chayote / chow chow raita recipe leverages on that goodness of boiling. Fresh seasoning and a spice-infused tempering give the raita a robust kick of flavors.

You Need:

[Serves 4-6]

• Chayote – 3 (~500 grams)
• Plain yogurt – 2 cups
• Fresh coriander leaves – a few sprigs
• Green chilies – 2 (adjust to taste)
• Salt – to taste

For the tadka:

• Chana dal – 2 teaspoons (buy on Amazon)
• Urad dal – 1/2 teaspoon (buy on Amazon)
• Dry red chilies – 2 (buy on Amazon)
• Asafoetida powder – a pinch
• Mustard seeds – 1/2 teaspoon
• Oil – 2 teaspoons

How To Make Chow Chow Raita:

1. Boil and mash the chayote

Wash well and slice the chayote into half lengthwise.

Place the chayote slices in a pressure cooker with 1/3 cup of water.

Lock the pressure cooker’s lid and boil till the chayote turns mashably soft without disintegrating. To do this in an Indian-style pressure cooker: cook on high heat till you hear the first whistle, then turn the heat to low and cook for another 5-6 minutes before switching off the heat.

Unlock the cooker’s lid when it has cooled enough to come off without force.

Pick the boiled chayote out.

Using a knife, gently remove the seed and peel the chayote.

Mash the chayote pulp coarsely.

2. Season the yogurt

Whip the yogurt to smooth along with salt to taste.

Grind or finely chop coriander leaves and green chilies. Add to the whipped yogurt.

Fold in the boiled and mashed chayote with the yogurt.

3. Do the tadka

In a tadka ladle, heat two teaspoons of oil. To the hot oil, add in quick succession: half a teaspoon of mustard seeds, two teaspoons of chana dal, half a teaspoon of urad dal. Move the dals around swiftly as they can burn if not attended to. In about 20-30 seconds, the dals will turn golden. At this stage, add a pinch of asafoetida powder and two dry red chilies.

[I was out of ural dal the day I clicked the pics – add it to the tadka if you have it with you!]

Allow the chilies to sizzle and then pour the hot tadka over the raita.

Chayote / chow chow raita is ready. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Refrigerate if planning to serve later.

Meal below: rice with masoor dal tadka, chow chow raita, amaranth leaves saag, pomegranate coconut salad.

Notes:

Like this recipe? Then check out other raitas with a similar flavor profile: lauki raita, cucumber raita.

Want to do more with chayote? Go try apple chayote salad, sauteed chayote with coconut, chayote toor dal.

The post Chow Chow Raita: Chayote Yogurt Dip appeared first on The Steaming Pot.

Carry jhatpat aloo dry in the lunchbox with jeera rice, or serve it on the side with pooris.

You Need:

• Potatoes – 3 large or 4 medium
• Green chilies – 2 (more if you want it hotter)
• Mustard-fenugreek masala – 1.5 teaspoons
• Garlic – 10-12 small cloves (~a tablespoon when crushed)
• Turmeric powder – 1/2 teaspoon
• Lime juice – 1 tablespoon
• Mustard seeds – 1/2 teaspoon
• Mustard oil – 1 tablespoon

How To Make Jhatpat Aloo Dry Sabzi with Lime and Spices:

1. Boil the potatoes

Boil the potatoes in water, with skin on, till they are tender enough for easy peeling without being mushy. In an Indian-style pressure cooker, this will take a whistle on high heat, then another five minutes on low heat.

Let the potatoes cool till you can handle them comfortably. Peel and chop or crumble roughly.

2. Prep the spices

While the potatoes boil, prepare the other ingredients.

Finely chop and crush the garlic cloves.

Make the mustard and fenugreek spice blend as outlined here: mustard-fenugreek masala.

Slit the green chilies.

3. Put it all together

Heat a tablespoon of mustard oil in a thick bottomed pan.

When the oil is hot, add to it mustard seeds and follow with chopped/crushed garlic.

When the garlic turns golden, add half a teaspoon of turmeric powder to the oil. Stir, add slit green chilies, mustard-fenugreek masala and finally the chopped/crumbled potatoes.

Sprinkle salt to taste and mix it all together.

Cover and cook on medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes, stirring every other minute.

Switch off the heat, let the pan stand covered for another minute or two. [Doing so helps to loosen the potatoes that stick to the bottom of the pan – no labored scraping needed.]

Sprinkle freshly squeezed lime juice over the potatoes.

Jhatpat aloo dry sabzi with lime and spices is ready.

Serve alongside rice/chapatis, dal and curry.

In the pic below: jhatpat aloo dry sabzi with chapatis, plain dahi, kala chana curry, tinda masala.

Notes:

Try some offbeat potato recipes for an Indian dinner.

Put mustard-fenugreek masala to wider use – try the spice blend in:

The post Jhatpat Aloo Dry Sabzi with Lime and Spices appeared first on The Steaming Pot.

Chokha by definition sounds like Punjabi-style bharta, but there’s a slight difference in their styles of making. In chokha, after the ingredients are prepped to pliant consistency, there is no further cooking involved – the mashed base is mixed with spices and served as-is. That’s why those accustomed to Punjab’s baingan bharta often find it hard to take to the Bihar’s baingan ka chokha, and vice versa [“too bland!” vs “too overdone!”].

Parval chokha faces no such conditioning-engendered disdain: this dish does not have another avatar outside of the Bihar-Jharkhand-Bengal triad. There may be variations in the seasonings used: the template remains the same.

This parval ka chokha recipe lays out the dish in its simple form, and closes with suggestions on what else you could do with it for added flavoring.

You Need:

• Parval (pointed gourd)* – 250 grams (4-5 pieces)
• Mustard oil – 1 tablespoon
• Green chilies – 2
• Coriander leaves – a few sprigs
• Lime juice – 1/2 tablespoon
• Salt – to taste

Use tender green parval with small white seeds. Avoid the ones with yellowing/tough skin or seeds – those can go into parval bhujiya instead.

How To Make Parval ka Chokha:

Boil the whole unpeeled parval in water till soft enough for easy mashing. If using an Indian-style pressure cooker: place the parval along with two cups of water in the cooker, lock and heat on high till the first whistle, then lower the heat and cook for another two whistles.

Let the boiled parval cool down. Squeeze out excess water.

Mash roughly.

Add seasonings to the mashed parval: mustard oil, chopped green chilies, chopped coriander leaves, lime juice, salt. Mix.

Parval ka chokha is ready.

Serve on the side with rice/rotis and curry.

Variations:

Notes:

Try other pointed gourd recipes:

Check out more Bihari vegetarian recipes:

The post Parval Chokha, a Bihari Thali Staple appeared first on The Steaming Pot.

No matter what it’s called – it tastes wonderful!

Some links below are amazon.com affiliate links. The Steaming Pot will earn a small commission if you buy via the links, at no additional cost to you.

Ingredients:

• Raw mango – 250 grams (~1 fat totapuri mango)
• Salt – 1/2 teaspoon
• Sugar – 1 tablespoon
• Mustard powder – 1/2 teaspoon (I use McCormick‘s)
• Red chili powder – 1/2 teaspoon

Equipment: knife or peeler

How To Make Raw Mango Salsa:

1. Peel and dice

Peel the raw mangoes.

Slice the mangoes close to the pit, so that you get as much of the mango flesh as possible. Discard the pit.

Dice the raw mango flesh.

2. Measure out the spice

Get the seasoning ready: half a teaspoon of salt, a tablespoon of sugar, half a teaspoon each of red chili powder and mustard powder.

The quantities of the spices can be adjusted to taste. If the mango is too sour, be more generous with the salt and sugar. If you prefer your condiments spicier, throw in more mustard powder/red chili powder. Make it your way!

3. Put it all together

Mix the diced raw mango well with the spices.

Place the mango mixture in a non-reactive container with lid.

4. Let it stand

Raw mango salsa tastes best when it has marinated in the seasoning for a few hours. The salt and sugar help to mellow the sharp tang of raw mango.

Keep raw mango salsa refrigerated in non-reactive container with lid – it will stay good for 5-6 days this way.

Tips for Best Flavor – Quick Recap

Serving Suggestions:

As you would have noticed, this raw mango salsa recipe is closer to an Indian-style mango relish than a Mexican salsa. And so it plays off beautifully as a condiment with a bigger Indian meal thali.

Here it is, with rice, moong dal, moringa leaf stir fry, pumpkin potato curry:

Mix some raw mango salsa into legume-based salads/chaats to stand in for lime juice. Works very well in rajma chaat, raw moong dal salad, chana dal kosambari.

Related Recipes:

Expand your raw mango recipe repertoire with raw mango garlic chutney, dal with raw mango, aam panna.

Or dive into our full mango recipe collection covering desserts, chutneys, breakfast recipes and more.

Print

Easy Raw Mango Salsa - No-Cook Spicy Relish

Raw mango condiment seasoned simply - salt, sugar, chili and mustard powder.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Fusion, Indian

Diet Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword condiment, mango

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Resting Time 2 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author The Steaming Pot

Equipment

• knife or peeler

Ingredients

• 250 g Raw mango ~1 fat totapuri mango
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 tbsp Sugar
• 1/2 tsp Mustard powder
• 1/2 tsp Red chili powder

Instructions

Peel and dice

• Peel the raw mangoes.
• Slice the mangoes close to the pit, so that you get as much of the mango flesh as possible. Discard the pit.
• Dice the raw mango flesh.

Measure out the spice

• Get the seasoning ready: half a teaspoon of salt, a tablespoon of sugar, half a teaspoon each of red chili powder and mustard powder.
• Note: The quantities of the spices can be adjusted to taste. If the mango is too sour, be more generous with the salt and sugar. If you prefer your condiments spicier, throw in more mustard powder/red chili powder. Make it your way!

Put it all together

• Mix the diced raw mango well with the spices.
• Place the mango mixture in a non-reactive container with lid.

Let it stand

• Raw mango salsa tastes best when it has marinated in the seasoning for a few hours. The salt and sugar help to mellow the sharp tang of raw mango.

Serve

• Serve as a side with a bigger meal, or as topping over chaat.

Notes

1. Keep raw mango salsa refrigerated in non-reactive container with lid - it will stay good for 5-6 days this way.
2.  

The post Easy Raw Mango Salsa – No-Cook Spicy Relish appeared first on The Steaming Pot.

This gobhi sarson recipe came about rather serendipitously. One evening I cooked a quick cauliflower side dish with no ground masalas, only a tadka of mustard seeds and coriander seeds in mustard oil. It tasted a bit bland. So I made a fresh condiment blend and added it as topping…voilà! The result turned out to be the tastiest cauliflower dish I had eaten in a long long time.

What works in this recipe is the coming together of a few powerful spices – mustard, ginger, green chilies – with the mild-mannered cauliflower. Opposites do bring out the best in each other, at least in this case.

On to the gobhi sarson recipe…

You Need:

• Cauliflower – 1 (400 grams)
• Fresh coriander leaves – a few strands
• Ginger – 1/2 inch stick
• Green chilies – 2 or 3
• Salt (preferably coarse grained sea salt) – to taste
• Turmeric powder – 1/4 teaspoon
• Coriander seeds – 1/2 teaspoon
• Mustard seeds (yellow) – 2 teaspoons
• Mustard oil – 1 tablespoon

In the picture above (clockwise): cauliflower, coriander leaves, green chilies, ginger, coriander seeds, yellow mustard seeds.

How To Make Indian-Style Mustard Cauliflower:

1. Prepare the ingredients

Break the cauliflower into small florets. Wash the florets well.

Boil two cups of water with a teaspoon of salt. Place the cauliflower florets in hot water covered, for 7-8 mins. [This quickens the cooking process and helps deal with worms in the cauliflower, if any.]

Drain, wash the cauliflower again and pat dry.

Crush the mustard seeds. [You could use a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder.]

Slit the green chilies into strips, keeping one aside for using later.

Peel and crush ginger.

2. Cook it all together

In a kadhai or pan, heat a tablespoon of mustard oil to smoking point. Add coriander seeds and crushed mustard seeds. When the seeds change color, add turmeric powder and slit green chilies.

Stir and tip the cauliflower florets into the pan. Add salt to taste along with crushed ginger.

Mix well so that the flavored oil coats the cauliflower florets evenly.

Cook covered on low heat, stirring every few minutes, till the cauliflower is nearly done.

3. Just before you close…

Chop fresh coriander leaves.

Chop a green chili finely and crush it.

Add the chopped coriander leaves and crushed chili to the cauliflower.

Turn heat to high and cook for another minute till the cauliflower turns dry and takes on the added coriander-chili flavors.

Gobhi sarson (Indian-style mustard coriander) is now ready to serve.

Have gobhi sarson on the side with chapatis/rice and dal.

Notes:

Looking for more cauliflower recipes? Try methi gobhi, a combination of cauliflower with fenugreek leaves, or the very exotic gobhi musallam, a whole cauliflower delicacy.

The post Gobhi Sarson: Indian-Style Mustard Cauliflower appeared first on The Steaming Pot.