Fresh Turmeric Root (Tarne Haldi Mande/Amba Haldi/Kacchi Haldi) Vegetable Kurma.

"Fresh Turmeric Root (Tarne Haldi Mande/Amba Haldi/ Kacchi Haldi) Vegetable Kurma served with Spiced Rice/ Pulav" ... Veg. Kurma with addition of Seemebadanekayi (Chow Chow/ Chayote) is a curry I love from childhood, a little bit difficult to get where I stay but managed one from elsewhere ... tried out a new concoction of my own with tarne haldi mande and malvani masala powder and it was simply a lip-smacking combo ... Yummiliious ... 

** Here is a delicious Kurma I tried out on my own giving it a slight twist by addition of Fresh turmeric root known in other languages as tarne haldi mande/amba haldi/ kacchi haldi which are available in plenty during winter season. I have never included them much into dishes, though a decade back or so I did try out pickle preparation of the same. It is a bit difficult to get where I stay, though available plenty in the main market. When I found tender ones in my enthusiasm, I purchased more than necessary and now they are sitting in fridge and looking at me with great expectations. Well, I think for a few days dishes with inclusion of these tender roots will rule in my kitchen as I want them finished off before they turn bad. Seemebadanekayi called chow chow, chayote, and other few names, is also not available where I stay, but sometimes hubby does manage to get them a few stations away from our place. 

** In addition, whenever he goes on official visit if he finds them he brings them home, as he knows I love them very much. Kurma tastes best with addition of chow chow giving it a very distinct taste that is something different, so does turmeric root. In all a very delicious curry that goes well when served with mildly spiced rice/pulav. I highly recommend the combo of this dish with panpolo/ neer dosa too, which I had relished for breakfast the next morning and it was simply lip smacking and my friend who had dropped in simply could not have enough of it. Do try out this delicious veggie kurma if fresh turmeric roots are available in your vicinity, they really do have a unique taste that somehow lifts the taste of the dishes totally to a different level. Do try out different dishes from my blog and remember to give me a feedback or leave in a comment or mail me if possible, it will encourage me to do that much more. 

** Here is my own recipe for "Fresh Turmeric Root (Tarne Haldi Mande/ Amba Haldi/ Kacchi Haldi) Vegetable Kurma” … My style, my own concoction … Do try it out and enjoy with your family and friends ……… 

** Ingredients : 

** To be Ground to a fine paste No.1 : 

Fresh Turmeric Roots/Tarne (Amba/Kacchi) Haldi : 6-8 2 inch pieces 150 gms (Approximately) 

Ginger/Adrak/Alle’ : 2 inch piece 

Garlic/Losun/Lehsun :10-12 

Spicy Green Chillies/Tarni Mirsanga/Hirvi Mirchi : 4-6 medium sized. 

** To be Ground to a fine paste No.2 : 

Coconut/Soyi/Nariyal : 1 cup freshly grated. 

Malvani Masala Powder : 2-3 tbsp 

Goda Masala Powder : 1 tbsp 

Dhania/Kothimbir/Coriander Seeds Powder : 1 tbsp 

Jeera/Cumin Seeds Powder : 1 tsp 

Badisep/Saunf/Fennel Seeds Powder : ½ tsp 

Tamarind/Chinchama/Imly : small marble sized ball. 

** Vegetables I have used for preparation of Kurma : 

Seemebadanekayi/Chow Chow/Chayote : 1 large sized. 

Fresh Green Peas/Vatana : 150-200 gms 

Carrot/Gajjar : 2 medium sized 

Capsicum/Donnemarsinga : 2 large sized 

** For preparing the Curry : 

Ghee/Toop : 1 tblsp 

Oil : 2-3 tblsp 

Cashew Nuts/Kajjubi : 10-12 (for garnishing) 

Curry Leaves/Kadipatta/Karbevu : 10-12 fresh leaves 

Onion/Piyavu/Kanda : 1 large sized or 2 medium sized peeled and finely chopped. 

Tomato : 1 large sized or 2 medium sized cut into small pieces. 

Coriander Leaves/Kothimbari Pallo/Dhania : ½ cup finely chopped. 

Butter/Loni : one small lemon sized ball. (Optional)

** To be Ground to a fine paste No.1 : Wash and roughly scrap the outer skin of both turmeric roots and ginger and cut them to small pieces. Peel of the skin of the garlic and also chop them to pieces. Wash, wipe dry and cut the green chillies also into pieces. Put all the ingredients into a mixer grinder and grind to a fine paste without adding water. There is enough water in the roots, which is enough for grinding. Remove and keep this ready aside. 

** To be Ground to a fine paste No.2 : In the same mixer grinder add in the coconut, all the powders, tamarind and grind to a very fine paste with little bit of water. Use water sparingly. Remove and keep this ready aside. In case you do not get malvani masala powder and Goda masala powder, you can add Kashmiri red chilly powder and garam masala powder in their place and increase the dhania and jeera, powder content by doubling it and adding on garam masala powder in place of goda masala in same quantity. 

** Preparation of Veggies for the Kurma : Slice off the outer thick skin of seemebadanekayi chow chow and cut into 1 inch sized cubes. Peel off the outer skin of carrots and cut them also into ½ inch sized cubes. Add the cut carrots, chow chow and the green peas in a colander and rinse under water. Now put them in a vessel with about 1 to 1.5 cups of water and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and let cook. Wash and cut the capsicums into 1 inch sized pieces discarding the inner seeds and add them to the cooking veggies when they are 50% cook. Cook all till they are 80% done only and remove from fire and keep ready aside. 

** For preparing the Curry : Add in the ghee and oil together in a thick bottomed kadai, when hot lower the heat and add in the cashew nuts and fry till they change slightly in color, then add in half of the curry leaves, fry till crisp, remove them and keep it ready aside to be added on later. Now in the same kadai add in the finely chopped onion and fry till they turn light brown in colour, immediately add in the remaining few curry leaves, fry for a second and then add in the ground turmeric masala no. 1 and fry well on low heat till the oil leaves the sides. 

** When done add in half of the finely chopped coriander leaves keeping aside the remaining for garnishing and fry for a few seconds and then add in the ground coconut masala no. 2 and continue frying on low heat for 5-6 minutes. Add the tomato cut into pieces mix well, add a little bit of water, cover and cook on low heat till the tomatoes turn half cooked. Now add in the cooked veggies along with the water in which it cooked and mix well. Add salt to taste and cook on medium heat till you see bubbles on the surface of the curry. 

** Now lower the heat to minimum, mix well and simmer the curry for a good 5-10 minutes, stirring well in between to avoid the curry getting burnt and then remove from heat. Check the consistency of the Kurma/Curry. If you find that the it is too thick add in a glass of water and mix well and let come to full heat. Lastly add in the butter (Optional) and remaining finely chopped coriander leaves. Garnish with the fried cashew nuts and curry leaves kept aside. Cover and keep the kurma aside to rest for a good 20-30 minutes, this helps the flavour to be infused well into the curry. 

** "Fresh Turmeric Root (Tarne Haldi Mande/ Amba Haldi/ Kacchi Haldi) Vegetable Kurma” is done and ready to be served. Serve the Kurma hot with any mildly spiced rice like, ghee rice, jeera rice, pepper rice, vatana rice etc. or with roti, naan, parotta etc. goes well with panpolo/ neer dosa or masala dosa too. Frankly Veg. Kurma tastes great in combo with any dish. In my parents’ home my Mom always prepared and served kurma with idly rava too, it tastes awesome and many I times I too prepare the same, however my hubby prefers Mumbai Pav or jeera rice, so today I prepared jeera rice and we simply loved the combo. 

** Note : This is slightly a different method of preparing of Kurma, which I tried on my own with addition of fresh turmeric roots/amba haldi/haldi mande which are in season now. The same can be prepared with a tsp of turmeric powder addition too but it will not be the same. As mentioned in my foreword I still cannot exactly pinpoint, but it does add on a distinct delicious flavor to the curries or even chutney when added fresh on. Usually these are added to pickle, however, I just about accidentally started adding it on and now I really have fallen in love with these. I hope to get them more often and try out many more dishes using them. 

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