I know you are one busy man. When you have just a smidgen of time would you please share with us how some of the Indian vegetables are prepared?

I have seeds for Indian Sorrel and Pletha Gourd, and I don't know what I will do with them once I grow them. I also have a couple of Indian eggplant. Are different eggplants grown for different recipes, or is it just a varietal preference? Elsewhere on GW I read someone talking about an Indian dish cooking Swiss chard in coconut milk. Do you know anything about that? Our priest is from India and he told me he is really homesick for Indian food and he doesn't cook. I'd like to help him out.

I'm really interested, and hope you'll make posts to this thread throughout the year. And while you're at it, would you share the recipe for the puffed rice with the spicy seasonings on it. After you sent some home with me, Seedpapa and I referred to it as "Indian Chex Mix" although there were no Chex to be found. What kind of peppers were in it, and did you grow them yourself?

Thanks for any ideas you can share.

Seedmama

Priya is too busy with kids, she told me search for certain words she told me to find exact recipes you are looking for. Now my server is fully busy to process an algorithmic, so got time to looks for those stuff, here you go;

There are lot of ways to cook Indian Sorrel (also called Khatta Palak, Chukkakura, and Petha Gourd. I have searched for few recipoes whi usually cook at home; but there are many variations from region to region, you can search googly for

Indian Sorrel (Khatta Palak, Chukkakura, Hunasheeki)
"Sorrel Dal/Lentil"
"Chukkakura (Khatta Palak) Pachadi"
"Katta Palak Pakoda (my favorite)"
"Khatta Palak Chatney"

Petha Gourd (Ash Gourd,Winter Melon, Boodakumbala)
"7 ash gourd recipes"
"Agra Petha, Sweet Candy"
"Booda Kumbala Koddal"

We never tried Swiss Chard with coconut milk, but found a link, it called "Laing" "Swiss Chard in Coconut Milk", we will try and see how it goes.

Pupped Rice
We use pupped rice (murmura, mandakki) to cook many ways, there are "61 puffed rice recipes
", one you ate was called "Spicy Puffed Rice (Kara Hachida Mandakki)", again there are ways to adjust the spiciness and ingredients. You can also use corn flakes instead of pupped rice to make "Corn Flakes Chivda (Spicy Indian Snack Mix)" or just use pop-corns or any cereals as a substitute. Priya prepared Corn Flakes Chivda last weekend, we still have to take some for you and seedpapa. Paula will be visiting us this weekend, she can tell you about the taste and spiciness.

Eggplants (also called Brinjal, Baingan)

Yes, there are specific eggplants for a specific recipes, small round one usually used for curry (rosa bianca, pistripe, round, japanses egg) and big once (classic, black beauty) used to roasted and fried recipes, long one for salad and gravy etc.
Please let us know if you are looking for any specific recipe.

regards -Chandra

Thank you so much, and thanks to Priya too. I know how busy you are. I look forward to trying these recipes!

Seedmama