*  Exported from  MasterCook  *

                                 KURMA

Recipe By     :
Serving Size  : 4    Preparation Time :0:00
Categories    : Indian                           Vegetarian

 Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
    1/2                Medium-sized (4 oz/100
                       Grammes) aubergine, cut
                       Into
                       Three-quarter inch by half
                       Inch (2 cm x 1 cm sticks)
  2       sm           Carrots (4 oz/100 grammes),
                       Peeled and cut into
                       Three-quarter inch by half
                       Inch (2 cm x 1 cm sticks)
  4       oz           (100 grammes) peas
  4       oz           (100 grammes) French beans,
                       Cut into 1 inch (2 and a
                       Half
                       Cm) pieces
  1                    Medium-sized potato (4 oz x
100                    Grammes), peeled and cut
                       Into
                       Three-quarter inch by half
                       Inch (2 cm x 1 cm sticks)
  2       oz           (50 grammes) fresh grated
                       Coconut
  4                    Fresh hot green chillies
  2       tb           White poppy seeds
                       Quarter tsp salt
  3                    Medium-sized tomatoes,
                       Roughly chopped
  1       tb           Natural (plain) yoghurt
  1       t            Garam masala
  2       tb           Chopped, fresh green
                       Coriander

 Place the aubergine, carrots, peas, French beans and
 potato in a medium-sized saucepan. Add 8fl oz (250ml)
 water. Bring to the boil. Cover, turn the heat to
 medium and cook for four minutes or until the
 vegetables are just tender.

 Meanwhile put the coconut, chillies, poppy seeds and
 salt in an electric blender. Add 5 fluid ounces (150
 ml) water and grind to a fine paste. Set aside.

 When the vegetables are cooked, add the spice paste
 and 5 fluid ounces (150 ml) water. Stir and simmer
 gently for five minutes. Add the tomatoes, yoghurt and
 garam masala. Stir gently to mix well. Bring to the
 boil and simmer gently for 2 - 3 minutes. Turn into a
 serving dish and garnish with the fresh coriander.

 TIPS

 If you wish to substitute unsweetened, desiccated
 coconut for fresh coconut use 5 tbsps (1 oz/30
 grammes). Barely cover with warm water and leave for
 one hour, then proceed with the recipe.

 Coriander is the parsley of India. Mix it with
 vegetables and chicken, use as a garnish and add the
 stems to soup and dals for extra flavour. To keep
 coriander fresh, stand sprigs in a glass of water,
 cover with a plastic bag and keep in the fridge.

 Kurma

 Westerners who come to Madras, Tamil Nadu's capital
 city, expecting to find meals made with "Madras" curry
 powder are in for a surprise. Curry powders
 manufactured in this southern Indian city are strictly
 for export. Aromatic spices, fennel seeds and fresh
 coconut are the ingredients that give the superb
 cuisine of Tamil Nadu its flavour and texture.

 For this dish, vegetables are "dressed" with a ground
 paste of fresh coconut, poppy seeds and green
 chillies, which is cooked briefly with the vegetables
 so that it is absorbed by them. The dish is best
 served with plain rice and you could also serve it as
 an accompaniment to a meat dish.

 Copyright of the British Broadcasting Corporation



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