Sauteed fresh corn salad

This recipe is perfect to use some of the fresh corn that you could not resist buying at the farmer's market.


8 ears of corn on the cob - kernels removed.
4 TBS onion - finely chopped
2 jalapenos finely chopped
1 red pepper finely diced
4 TBS red onion finely diced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp sugar
1 TBS red wine vinegar
4 TBS olive oil
4 TBS basil leaves chopped

Heat the oil in a large pan, add the corn and saute till the oil coats the corn. Add the chopped onion and jalapenos and saute on medium-high heat till the onion gets transparent.
Add the chopped red onion, red peppers, salt, pepper and sugar and saute for 5-6 minutes till the flavours blend. Stir in the red wine vinegar and chopped basil leaves.

You can serve this as a side or as a salad, warm or room temperature. Just make sure the corn is really fresh.

Egg Curry Version 2

Egg curry is 'go to' dish - simple enough when you want it to be simple. Anagha this one is for you. Make it a dry version and you have a fancy egg masala dish. The onion puree in the recipe is made in a blender using a tiny bit of water. See the Learn the Basics section of my blog for perfect boiled eggs! Never compromise on...cooking the onions, they have to be brown..

6 eggs hardboiled and peeled
1 1/2 cup onion puree
3/4 cup fresh tomato puree
2 TBS tomato paste
3 TBS ginger-garlic paste
5-6 cherry tomatoes or 1 large tomato cut into big pieces
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp salt
4 TBS oil
2 TBS chopped mint leaves
2 TBS chopped coriander leaves

Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan, add the onion puree, cover and let cook till the water evaporates. Then saute on medium heat till brown. Really caramel brown. This step will take at least 15 minutes. Add the tomato puree, tomato paste and the ginger garlic paste. Cook on medium heat till the oil separates from the masala. This step takes another 10-12 minutes. Add the chili powder, salt, tomatoes and the mint leaves. Add water to the prepared masala, to desired consistency. Add the garam masala and mix.
Make a slit in the eggs - lengthwise and place them carefully , cut side down - in the gravy. Sprinkle the coriander leaves and cook on low heat for 2-3 minutes only.

Serve hot with parathas or rice.
You can adjust the thickness of the gravy as per your liking. Instead of boiled eggs, add steamed and fried whole little potatoes or fried chunks of paneer for a change.

Pithla - Spiced chick pea flour

Pithla is the go to dish in most Maharashtrian households when you are pressed for time, or haven't been to the market to buy fresh vegetables. Unless, it was the house I grew up in, then we had pithla every week! My dad just loved this dish and asked for it every week almost. So dad, this post is for you. And what I really love is that Anagha loves this dish as much...and she actually asked for the recipe.

There are variations, you can use spring onions, radish, regular onions, or fenugreek leaves. You can make it dry, or semi-solid or even liquid like a thick curry. Its all in the proportion of water to chick pea flour. So feel free to experiment and adjust to your taste. The recipe I have put here is for a semi solid consistency. Kinda like mashed potatoes!

1 cup chopped onion
2 green chillies
6-7 curry leaves
1 cup besan (chick pea flour)
3 cups water
4 TBS oil
1/4 tsp hing
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric
3-4 garlic crushed
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp sugar
2 TBS chopped coriander leaves

Heat oil in a wide bottomed pan. Temper with hing, mustard seeds, garlic and turmeric. Add the chopped green chiliies, onion and curry leaves. Saute till the onion is soft. Add the chili powder and mix. Add the 3 cups of water, salt and sugar and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and add the besan, stirring all the time. Cover and let steam for 5-7 minutes. Garnish with the chopped coriander and serve hot with chapatis or bhakri.