Category Archives: Brunch

French Green Lentil Soup

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Lentil Soup4

French Green Lentils (Lentilles du Puy) were originally grown in the volcanic soils near Puy in France but now they are also grown in North America and Italy. Green lentils don’t turn mushy and hold their shape well after cooking so they are especially good in salads. They are said to have top fiber content compared to other lentils.

I found a packet of organic green lentils at Whole Foods and could not resist trying them out in this lentil soup. I followed the same recipe that I use for my Moroccan lentil soup. The green lentils added richness and consistency to the soup. They take longer to cook than other lentils so I soaked them in boiling water for 15 minutes before adding them to the soup. If you do not have green lentils, you can use brown or red lentils instead. You will not need to soak them and they will take less time to cook. Adjust the chilli flakes and pepper to suit your palate. Fresh thyme leaves is the secret ingredient in this recipe so try using them instead of dry thyme leaves.

I’ve been posting soup recipes for the past few weeks and you can blame the cold weather on the East Coast for that. So, hang in there with me, while I try to keep my family warm with soup for supper.

Lentil Soup
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Serves: 10

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 bay leaf
4 cups chopped onion
1 tablespoon grated ginger
2 tablespoons grated garlic
1 tablespoons minced thyme leaves, (or 1 teaspoon dry thyme leaves)
1 cup chopped leeks, (white parts only)
Salt
1 tablespoon coriander powder
2 teaspoons cumin powder
1 teaspoon chilli flakes, (depending on heat and your preference)
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
3 cups medium-diced celery
3 cups medium-diced carrots
¼ cup tomato paste
2½ cups green lentils, (you can also use brown or red lentils)
12 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Rinse and soak the green lentils in boiling water for 15 minutes.

Add oil to a large pot, over medium-high heat. When it shimmers add bay leaf, onion, ginger, garlic, thyme, leeks and salt. Sauté until onion turns translucent. Add coriander powder, cumin powder, chili flakes, ground pepper, celery, carrots, and tomato paste. Stir and cook until the oil separates.

Drain the lentils and add to the soup. Then add the chicken or vegetable stock. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil. Once the soup starts boiling, turn the heat to medium-low, remove the lid and let the soup simmer and cook for one hour. Add lemon juice and red wine vinegar, stir and check to see if the salt is sufficient. Turn off the heat. Cover the soup and let it rest for 15-20 minutes. Reheat the soup when you are ready to serve. Garnish with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
Lentil Soup Packet

Molten Chocolate Cake – Happy Valentine’s Day!

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Molten Chocolate Cake3

Happy Valentine’s Day! Bake this easy, decadent Molten Chocolate Cake and you’re bound to impress your sweetheart. This cake has several names – chocolate fondant pudding, chocolate lava cake, and chocolate moelleux. The French call it chocolate mi-cuit (semi-cooked) which, I think, perfectly describes this cake.

The molten chocolate cake was born out of a chocolate accident in the kitchen when its creator master chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten pulled an under-baked cake out of the oven. Served right out of the oven, these individual sized chocolate cakes release their ooey-gooey melted chocolate centers with your first bite. With a scoop of ice-cream, crème fraîche, or whipped cream it’s the perfect Valentine’s Day treat.

Molten Chocolate Cake
Adapted from Food & Wine by Jean-Georges Vongerichten
Prep time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 12 minutes
Serves: 4

1 stick softened unsalted butter, plus 1 teaspoon melted butter for brushing ramekins
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
¼ cup granulated white sugar
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus 2 teaspoons for dusting ramekins
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting, optional
Whipped cream or ice-cream and strawberries as garnish, optional

Place rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Butter and flour four 6-ounce ramekins. Gently tap and remove excess flour and set the ramekins on a baking sheet. You can also use molds, custard cups or even muffin tins instead of ramekins.

In a double boiler, oven simmering water, melt butter with chocolate chips. Stir until the chocolate chips and butter melt and turn smooth. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a medium bowl, beat whole eggs, the two yolks, sugar, and salt with a hand mixer, on high speed, for about four minutes or until the mixture turns thick and pale in color. Add the vanilla essence and beat just until it is incorporated. Using a spatula gently fold the chocolate mixture and flour into the egg mixture.

Spoon the batter into the prepared ramekins and bake for 12 minutes, or until the sides of the cake are firm but the centers are still wobbly and soft. Let the cake cool in the ramekins for one minute. You can serve the cakes in their ramekins or you can run a knife around the edge of each cake and then invert them onto serving plates. Gently remove the ramekins. Sprinkle the tops of each warm cake with confectioners’ sugar and serve with a dollop of whipped cream or ice cream. I’ve decorated my cake with a beautifully carved strawberry rose.

Note:
– I used Ghirardelli premium baking semi-sweet chocolate chips.
– You can make the batter several hours in advance. Butter and flour your ramekins, pour the batter, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until you are ready to bake. Bring to room temperature before you bake.
– Oven temperatures vary so check the cake after they have been in the oven for 10 minutes. The sides should be set but the centers should be wobbly and soft. This is important to get the perfect molten chocolate cake. It took 12 minutes in my oven.

Molten Chocolate Cake4

Broccoli and Cheddar Cheese Soup

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Broccoli Cheddar Soup2

Broccoli and cheddar cheese soup has always been a favorite of mine. It’s a comforting soup with all the creamy richness of cheddar cheese and broccoli. I still remember the first time I ordered it in a restaurant in California. I was hooked and I knew I had to learn how to make it.

You don’t need a whole lot of ingredients and it takes about 30 minutes to make from start to finish. Making the soup begins with a simple roux, like they make in restaurants. I’ve used whole milk, heavy cream, mild cheddar cheese, and vegetable stock. You could switch the mild cheddar for sharp cheddar cheese, if you please.

For a lighter version, you could use oilive oil, evaporated fat-free milk, reduced fat half and half, and reduced fat cheddar cheese. Also, make sure that you use low-sodium vegetable stock or make your stock from scratch using my vegetable stock recipe. I’ve also seen recipes using unsweetened almond or coconut milk instead of milk and heavy cream.

Well, here’s how you make my version of broccoli and cheddar cheese soup. I had it for lunch today, with a piece of whole wheat bread. I really enjoyed it and I hope you will too.

Broccoli and Cheddar Cheese Soup
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4-6

3 tablespoons butter
2 cups finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5 cups whole milk
2 cups vegetable stock, (or chicken stock)
½ cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3 cups broccoli florets, (1 pound; I used some of the tender stems as well)
2 cups grated mild cheddar cheese, (8 ounces; set aside ¼ cup to garnish the soup)

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook, stirring frequently, until they turn soft. It will take about three minutes. Add garlic, thyme, and flour. Stir constantly and cook for one minute. While whisking, slowly pour in the milk, vegetable stock and heavy cream. Add salt and pepper. Stir constantly and cook until the mixture begins to bubble. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the broccoli. Cook for ten minutes, stirring once in a while, to make sure it is not catching to the bottom of the pan. Off the heat and add cheese. Stir until all the cheese is melted. Garnish each bowl of soup with a little grated cheese.

Note:  You could serve the soup as is or you could puree the soup in a blender, heat it up again, and then serve. I used a potato masher to mash half of the soup and I left the other half chunky. If the soup is too thick you can thin it down with vegetable stock or water.

Chicken Cutlets

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Chicken Cutlets1

I remember going to restaurants in India many years ago and ordering chicken or vegetable cutlets and soup instead of the typical masala dosa. It was a great alternative when I didn’t feel like having Indian food. It was often listed on the menu under the Western items section. Well, now we have “Indianized” the cutlet so much that it isn’t considered so much of a Western item on the menu in India any more.

I often use leftovers to make cutlets and my children think I’ve created something new and awesome. When they were young, I would put lots of vegetables into my cutlets and they had no idea! They loved them anyway. What I’m trying to say, is that once you understand the basics of cutlet making, you don’t need a recipe. You can make almost anything into a cutlet. This recipe is one of my favorites. Enjoy!

Chicken and Potato Cutlets
Prep time: 35 minutes (includes time to cook chicken)
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Makes: 15

2 large chicken breasts
½ teaspoon whole black pepper
1½ teaspoons salt
2 large potatoes, boiled and mashed
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
3 teaspoons coriander seeds
2-3 teaspoons red chilli flakes, (depending on heat and your preference)
1 tablespoon kasoori methi, crushed
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 small bunch cilantro, finely chopped
½ teaspoon freshly crushed black pepper
1 cup Panko bread crumbs
2 eggs
Oil for shallow frying

Cook chicken in three cups of water, whole black pepper, and half a teaspoon of salt. The chicken should be cooked well enough so that it falls off the bone easily. It will take about 25-30 minutes over medium-high heat. Cool, shred the meat and put into a large mixing bowl.

Lightly roast cumin and coriander seeds and crush them to a coarse powder.

Add mashed potatoes, the lightly roasted and crushed cumin and coriander powder, chilli flakes, kasoori methi, onions, and cilantro into the large mixing bowl along with the shredded chicken. Add salt and pepper. Mix well. Taste to make sure there is enough salt. Shape into cutlets – either round or oval. Line them on a baking tray.

Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add oil for shallow frying. There should be enough oil in the pan so that when you put the cutlets in, the oil should come at least half way up the sides of the cutlets.

Beat eggs in a small bowl, and spread the panko crumbs on a plate. Dip each cutlet into the egg and then coat them in breadcrumbs. Add them to the hot oil and fry until golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels.

 

Kadai Paneer – Paneer, Bell Pepper, and Onion cooked in a Kadai

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Kadai Paneer2

A kadai, sometimes spelled karahi, is a must in every Indian kitchen. In fact, most homes have several. One to cook vegetables in, one to cook sweets in, and one for deep frying. A kadai is a thick, circular, deep cooking vessel, traditionally made from cast iron or copper. It is used in kitchens in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal. It looks like a wok but it has steeper sides with two handles. Dishes typically made in a kadai have Afghan and Persian origins.

Don’t worry if you don’t own a kadai, you can still make this dish in a regular non-stick pot or wok. The paneer I buy is not as fresh and soft as the paneer we get in India. Hence, the extra step of soaking the pieces of paneer in hot water. If you get fresh paneer or if you make your own, you can skip this step. Kasoori methi is dry fenugreek leaves, which you can buy at an Indian grocery store. North Indians like the slight crunch of the kadai spice mix, but if you are not used to that, you can grind the spices to a powder. What makes my Kadai Paneer distinct is the kadai spice mix. Try it out once, and I think you’ll be hooked.

Kadai Paneer – Paneer, Bell Pepper, and Onion cooked in a Kadai
Prep time: 8 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Serves: 6

4 whole dry Kashmiri red chillies
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
4 tablespoons coriander seeds
1 teaspoon whole black pepper corns
14 ounces paneer, (400 grams)
3 cups water
3 tablespoons oil
1-inch piece ginger, grated
6 cloves of garlic, grated
8 Roma tomatoes, diced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
Salt
1 small onion, cut into wedges and petals separated
1 green bell pepper, cut into large cubes
1 teaspoon kasoori methi, (dry fenugreek leaves)
1 teaspoon garam masala, (preferably my garam masala)
3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
1 green chillie, finely sliced, (optional)
1 tablespoon cilantro, finely chopped

To make the special kadai spice mix, roast dry Kashmiri red chillies, fennel seeds, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, coriander seeds, and whole black pepper in a small non-stick frying pan over low heat, until they smell fragrant. Cool and grind to a coarse powder. I use a coffee grinder to do this. You could also use a mortar and pestle.

Cut paneer into pieces. For this recipe, I cut my paneer into small rectangular pieces. Heat three cups of water in a saucepan.  When the water boils, off the heat, and put panner pieces into the hot water. Allow it to soften while you continue with the next step. If you are using fresh or home-made paneer you can skip this step.

Heat oil in a kadai or wok over medium-high heat. When it shimmers, add one teaspoon of cumin seeds and wait until they splutter. Next add the grated ginger and garlic. Sauté for five seconds and then add tomatoes, tomato paste, and salt. Let the tomatoes cook for six to seven minutes or until the oil separates. Drain the paneer pieces and then add them to the dish. Reserve the water. Add one tablespoon of the ground kadai spice mix, capsicum, and onion. Mix well, add quarter cup of the reserved water, and let the vegetables cook for two minutes. You want the bell pepper and onion to have a crunch to them. Add crushed kasoori methi, the rest of the ground kadai spice mix, garam masala, and cream. Stir gently so paneer and vegetables are well coated with the creamy-tangy sauce. Garnish with sliced green chillies and chopped cilantro. Kadai paneer goes well with naan, roti or rice.

Pistachio, Cranberry and Cardamom Biscotti

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Pistachio & Cranberry Biscotti3

The hustle and bustle of Christmas is over. It is time to sit by the fire, relax, eat biscotti, and drink chai! Originally made in Italy, biscotti is a small, crisp, rectangular, twice-baked cookie, usually containing nuts. I’ve put a twist on the recipe by using the aromatic powder of green cardamom seeds. A truly delightful blend of ingredients makes these cookies one of my favorites.

Here’s wishing you peace, prosperity, good health and happiness in 2014!

Pistachio, Cranberry and Cardamom Biscotti
Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis

Prep time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 55 minutes
Makes: 24 biscotti

2 cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon cardamom powder
¾ cup sugar
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
¼ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
¾ cup pistachios, coarsely chopped
2/3 cup dried cranberries

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or use silpat. Sift flour, baking powder, and cardamom powder into a medium bowl. Using a stand mixer, beat sugar, butter, lemon zest, and salt in a large bowl until creamy. Add eggs one at a time. Add spoonfuls of flour and beat until just blended. Stir in the chopped pistachios and cranberries.

Form the dough into a 13-inch long, 3-inch wide log and place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until light golden. About 40 minutes. Cool for 30 minutes.

Place the log on a cutting board and using a bread knife, cut diagonally into 1/2 inch thick slices.  Arrange the biscotti, cut side down on the baking sheet. Bake the biscotti again until they are light brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.

If you like, you can dip the biscotti into melted chocolate chips. Shake off the excess chocolate and place them on a baking sheet. Refrigerate until the chocolate is firm. It takes around 30 minutes.

Sweet Corn Pudding

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Sweet Corn Pudding

This recipe is for one of my best friends who came to our Thanksgiving dinner. She loves this sweet corn pudding and asked if I could post the recipe on my blog. So this one is for you, my dear girlfriend!

I double the recipe and put it in a 2-quart round casserole dish. I usually make two of them because one is never enough for Thanksgiving! I’ve been asked by some of you to share our Thanksgiving menu, so here it is. The picture below was taken by Esther George at our Thanksgiving dinner. Thank you, Essie.

Thanksgiving Menu – 2013
Cajun turkey
Scalloped potatoes
Wild rice with mushrooms
Stuffing with pine nuts
Green bean casserole
Sweet corn pudding
Cranberry sauce
Sweet potatoes with marshmallow topping
Corn bread with honey butter
Gravy
Stripped delight
Apple pies
Mint limeade
Thanksgiving2 2013

Sweet Corn Pudding
Adapted from epicurious.com

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 50 minutes (includes time in the oven)
Serves: 8 (as a side dish)

4 cups frozen sweet corn kernels, thawed
4 large eggs
1 cup heavy whipping cream
½ cup whole milk
6 tablespoons sugar
¼ cup (½ stick) butter, room temperature
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8x8x2 inch square baking dish. Blend thawed corn, eggs, cream, milk, sugar, room temperature butter, flour, baking powder, and salt in a food processor or blender until the ingredients are almost smooth. Pour the batter into your prepared dish. Bake for 45 minutes until brown and the center is set. You will also see the pudding coming off the edge of the dish. Cool for ten minutes before serving.

Cranberry Sauce

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Cranberry Sauce3

Happy Thanksgiving to all my readers and my Facebook friends. Here is a recipe for cranberry sauce that I make for my family Thanksgiving dinner. This recipe is so easy and delicious that you will never buy another can of cranberry sauce again! It has an Indian spin to it, in that, I add a little dry chilli flakes while cooking the cranberries, but it is totally optional. You can add it if you like. This recipe can be make in advance. Just heat it up and serve.

The recipe is very basic and you can make it your own by adding ingredients, such as, chopped Granny Smith apple, slivered almonds, pecans, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Instead of sugar you can use maple syrup and instead of orange juice you can use cranberry juice. So, once you have the basic recipe, you can dress it up with ingredients that you like.

Enjoy the tangy, sweet, and spicy taste of this super easy cranberry sauce at your thanksgiving table this year.

Cranberry Sauce
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 12 minutes
Serves: 6

1 cup water
¾ cup granulated sugar
12 ounces fresh cranberries, (340 g)
½ cup fresh orange juice
¼ teaspoon dry chilli flakes, (optional)
1 tablespoon orange zest
orange segments for garnish

In a small saucepan bring water to a simmer. Add sugar, fresh cranberries, orange juice, chilli flakes, and zest. Stir until the sugar dissolves and the cranberries begin to pop. It will take about 10-12 minutes.

Remove, dish out into a beautiful bowl, garnish with orange segments, and serve.

Misal Pav

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Misal3

I grew up in Pune, a city close to Mumbai in the state of Maharashtra. Many of the dishes my mom prepared were influenced by our neighbors and friends. Needless to say, Maharashtrian cuisine is one of my indulgences.

Recently I was invited to a birthday lunch and misal was served as an appetizer. The sight, smell and taste of my days in Pune came flooding back. I shamelessly ate the appetizer as my main course, to the amusement of all the other guests. It made my day and I decided to do a blog post for others that might miss misal as much as I did.

I must confess that my misal recipe is unconventional. I know people from Maharashtra have their own authentic recipes, but I had to make do with whatever ingredients I had available. I used sprouted green gram (moong beans) because I did not have moth beans (matki). You can also make misal using a combination of legumes like sprouted green gram, moth beans, black eyed peas, and dried white peas. I made this misal recipe for a party of 15 people and everyone enjoyed it. The recipe looks long with the number of ingredients, but it’s not that difficult to make.

Misal Pav
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves: 15

For the Usal:
10 cups sprouted green gram, (moong beans) or sprouted moth beans, (matki)
1 cup water
3 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 pinch asafoetida
½ teaspoon turmeric
1 sprig curry leaves
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
3 tablespoons Goda masala or Kanda-Lasoon masala
1 cup boiled and cubed potato, (optional)
Salt
1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro

Cook the sprouted green gram in a pressure cooker with one cup of water. I cooked it without the weight for five minutes. Set aside.

Heat oil in a large sauce pan, over medium-high heat, until it shimmers. Add mustard and cumin seeds. When the mustard seeds splutter, add asafoetida, turmeric, and curry leaves. Fry for five seconds and then add the chopped onion and cook until the onions turn translucent. Add the garlic and sauté until the onion turns light brown. Garlic should not turn brown. Add Goda masala and sauté for a minute longer. Add the sprouts, potato, salt and any water left from pressure cooking the sprouts. Mix well and cook for five minutes or until the water evaporates. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

For the Kat/Rassa (gravy):
2 cup thinly sliced red onions
1 tablespoon garlic slices
2 tablespoons desiccated coconut
1 cup diced tomatoes
4 tablespoons oil
salt
2 packets Rasoi Magic Misal Rassa
8 cups water
1 teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder

In a medium size non-stick frying pan, add one teaspoon of oil. Place over medium heat. When the oil is hot add sliced onion and roast until they turn light brown. Remove and then add garlic. Roast the garlic slices until they start turning light brown. Remove and add the desiccated coconut. Roast until light brown. Remove, cool, and with the help of very little water grind onion, garlic and coconut in a blender until smooth. Set aside.

Mix the two packets of Rasoi Magic Misal Rassa with two cups of water and set aside.

In a large pot heat three tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Add the ground onion, garlic and coconut paste. Fry until it turns light brown. Add the chopped tomatoes. Cook until the oil separates and then add salt, the Rasoi Magic Misal Rassa mixture, and eight cups of water. Bring to a boil and then turn heat to low and let it simmer for ten minutes.

To season the kat, take a small non-stick pan and add the rest of the oil. Place over low heat. When the oil gets warm turn off the stove and add one teaspoon of Kashmiri chilli powder. Pour this over the kat. It will float over the kat and give it a beautiful red color.

To put it all together and serve:
1 packet hot mix, (farsan, chivda)
1 packet fine sev
20 pavs, (or slices of bread or soft rolls)
2 cups boiled and cubed potatoes
½ cup finely chopped onion
½ cup finely chopped cilantro
¼ cup finely chopped green chillies, (optional)
1 cup lemon wedges

To serve – put 2 tablespoons of usal in a small bowl, add a few cubed potatoes, two tablespoons of the hot mix, stir the kat, and pour two-three tablespoon over it. Then sprinkle sev, onion, tomatoes, cilantro and green chillies. Serve a lemon wedge and pav on the side. You could also cut the pav in half, butter and toast them on a griddle before serving. Misal a complete light meal any time of the day, a great tea time snack, and a showstopper at a party!

Notes:
– The quantity given for this recipe serves 15-20 people.
– Assemble the misal just before serving.
– Goda masala is available at Indian grocery stores. If you cannot get this masala you can use Kanda-Lasoon masala.
– Kat can be made by following the directions on the misal rassa packet.
– To sprout green gram, I soaked it in water for six hours. Drained it in a colander and put it in the oven with the light on overnight. I had beautiful sprouts the next morning.
– The picture at the bottom of the page was taken by a friend at the party.

misal6

Egg Curry – Kerala Mutta Curry

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Egg Curry4

Egg curry or mutta curry, as we call this dish in Malayalam, is a faithful standby when unexpected guests arrive at lunch time or when the vegetable bin is empty in the refrigerator. Every Indian family has their own style of making egg curry. The egg curry recipe that I am sharing with you today, is from Kerala. Coconut milk, curry leaves, vinegar, and garam masala gives this dish its creamy, spicy, and aromatic fragrance and flavor. The versatile egg curry can be eaten with rice, chapatis, appams or string hoppers. It’s a good dish to have in your recipe collection.

Enjoy!

Egg Curry – Kerala Mutta Curry
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Serves: 6

Ingredients:
6 hard boiled eggs
4 whole dry red chillies, (depending on heat and your preference)
3 teaspoons whole coriander seeds
¼ teaspoon whole black pepper
¼ teaspoon fennel seeds
1 one-inch piece cinnamon
2 green cardamom, seeds only
2 cloves
¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
3 tablespoons coconut oil
½ teaspoon mustard seeds
1 sprig curry leaves
1 cup finely diced shallots
2 green chillies, slit in half (optional)
1 teaspoon finely diced ginger
1 teaspoon finely diced garlic
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 (13.66 fl oz) can coconut milk, unsweetened
1 cup water
3 medium potatoes, quartered
2 teaspoons vinegar
Salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
A few curry leaves to garnish

Directions:
In a small non-stick frying pan, over low heat, roast the dry chillies, coriander seeds, whole black pepper, fennel, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves. When it starts smelling fragrant, add the cumin seeds and roast for 10 seconds. Remove from the heat and cool the spices completely. Powder in a coffer grinder and set aside.

Place a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add oil and when it shimmers, add the mustard seeds. When they splutter add the curry leaves, green chillies, onion, ginger, garlic, and turmeric. Cook until the onion turns translucent. Add the powdered spices and stir. Mix one cup of coconut milk with one cup of water and add it to the pan. Add the potatoes, vinegar, and salt. Cook for 15 minutes over medium-low heat. When the potatoes are done, add the boiled eggs and the remaining coconut milk. Let the curry simmer for five more minutes. Remove from the heat, add freshly ground black pepper, and garnish with curry leaves.