BITTERS & SOURS - FENUGREEK

Hyderbadi Subz Khada Masala

1/4 Cup French Beans
1/4 Cup Peas
1/4 Cup Carrots
1/3 Cup Potatoes
1/2 Cup Cauliflower
2/3 Cup Ghee
2 inches Ginger
1 Tsp Asofoetida
½ Tsp Turmeric Powder
1 Tsp Red Chilli Powder
3 medium Tomatoes
2 Green Chillies (seeded)
2 Whole Red Chillies (or less to taste)
1/3 Cup Coriander Leaves, finely chopped
1 Cup Curd (yoghurt)
1 Cup Fenugreek Leaves, finely chopped
Salt to Taste

Clean, peel, cube or dice all the vegetables. Roughly chop the ginger. Immerse the Fenugreek in salted water for 15 minutes, then drain well. Whisk the curd and set aside. Chaunce the ginger and asofoetida. Add all the vegetables, turmeric and red chili powder. Fry for several minutes, then add tomatoes and, green and red whole chilis, and fry for another few minutes. Add the yoghurt and fenugreek, salt to taste, and mix well. Stir to keep from burning. Add 1-1/4 cup water and bring to boil. Cover and simmer until liquid is absorbed and vegetables are done.

BITTERS & SOURS - NEEM

Bengali Neem-Bagun

Fresh Neem Leaves - 1 cup
Eggplant, cubes into small pieces - 1 cup
Cumin (Jeera) - 1 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Ghee - 1 tsp.

Crush the neem leaves and gently fry them without oil, being careful not to burn. Chaunce the cumin, then add the eggplant, salt and turmeric. Fry to lightly golden. When nearly done, add the neem leaves and mix together.

Neem Begoon

Eggplant, cubes into small pieces - 1 cup
Salt - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Fresh Neem Leaves - 1 cup
Panch Phoran - 1 teaspoon
Dried red chilis - 1/4 teaspoon
Ghee - 1 tsp.

Coat the cubed eggplant with salt and turmeric. Chaunce the panch phoran, dried red chilis and tender young neem leaves until lightly fried. Toss in the eggplant, mix gently together, and fry on low heat until done.

Neem Jhol

Moong dal, 2 tablespoons
Potatoes, 2 medium
Drumstick, 1 large
Eggplant, 1 large
Turmeric, 1 teaspoon
Cumin powder, 2 teaspoons
Salt to taste
Mustard paste or powder, 1/2 teaspoon
Fresh Neem Leaves, 1 cup
Panch Phoran, 1 teaspoon
Dried red chilis, 1/4 teaspoon
Ghee for frying

Lightly brown the moong, grind to powder, mix with scant water and fry moong vadi in a little ghee. Dice the vegetables and stir fry in ghee until lightly golden. Add turmeric and cumin, salt to taste and a little mustard paste or powder. Add enough water so mixture is a little thin, like stew. Cook until vegetables are done. Make a chaunce and fry teh panch phoran, dried chilis and young neem leaves. Add oil mixture to the vegetables, blend gently and offer. While fresh neem leaves are always preferable, they're rarely available outside of India. You can also use dried neem leaves, but may need to use mroe to get the same strong bitterness.