Vegetarian Curries from Himachal Pradesh

Channa Madra: This was one of the most popular dishes made for the state of Himachal Pradesh. It is a yogurt based curry made with chickpeas.

Recipe adapted from Valli's & Nalini's recipes:
Ingredients:

Chickpeas - 2cups cooked (or 1 16oz. can of chickpeas)
Yogurt - 1cup
Green chilies - 2, slit
Red chili powder - ½tsp
Ground Coriander - ½tsp
Turmeric - ¼tsp
Rice flour - 2tsp
Cloves - 2
Cinnamon stick - 1"
Cardamom pods - 2
Cumin seeds - ½tsp
Asafoetida/ Hing - a pinch
Salt - to taste

Method:

• Heat 1tbsp oil in a pan, add cloves, cardamom, cumin seeds, cinnamon stick and hing; once the seeds start to splutter, add green chilies, ground coriander and turmeric. Mix well and cook for 30seconds~1minute.
• Next add the cooked chickpeas along with red chili powder, salt and ½cup of water; cook for 2 minutes. 
• In a small bowl, whisk rice flour in 2tbsp of water. Stir this mixture into the chickpeas and cook until the mixture starts to thicken a little bit.
• Garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot.

Nashpati ki Subzi (Pear Curry): This is quite an unusal dish for me, since I rarely cook with fruits and making a curry with a fruit is very new to me. When I saw it on Vaishali's blog, I really wanted to try it to see how it tastes. I wasn't disappointed -- the curry is sweet, spicy and juicy.

Recipe from Vaishali's blog:

Ingredients: Serves 1~2

Pear - 2
Ginger-garlic paste - ¼tsp

Mustard oil - 1tsp

Coriander seeds - ¼tsp

Cumin seeds - ¼tsp

Whole red chilies - 2

Black Pepper - a pinch

Turmeric - a pinch

Salt - to taste

Method:

• Heat 1tsp Mustard oil in a pan, add the coriander seeds, cumin seeds and red chilies. Once the seeds start to crackle, add the ginger-garlic paste and cook stirring for about 30seconds ~ 1minute.
• Add the chopped pears, season with salt and cook covered on low flame until the fruit is tender.

Spicy Bhey: Lotus stems are of the new ingredients that I tried during the mega A-Z Indian states marathon and one that I really really liked. So when I saw it being made as a dry curry with spices, I knew I would be making it real soon.

Recipe adapted from Sapana's & Harini's posts:

Ingredients:

Lotus Stems - 1cup, thawed if frozen

Onion - 1 medium, chopped

Garlic - 1clove, finely minced

Ginger - 1" piece, finely grated

Chickpea flour/ Besan - 1tbsp

Ground Coriander - 1tsp

Red chili powder - 1tsp (adjust as per taste)

Turmeric powder - ½tsp

Salt - to taste

Method:

• Heat 2tsp oil in  a pan, add ginger and garlic; cook for 30 seconds. Next add onions and cook till they are translucent.
• Add ground coriander, turmeric, chili powder and salt. Mix well and cook for 1 minute.
• Add the lotus stems, chickpea flour and mix well. Cook on low flame for 8~10 minutes or until chickpea flour and lotus stems are nicely toasted. Serve hot.