Gatte ki subji

We were all fed up of the same old dal, roti, subji combination, and to make it worse, there were no vegetables at home. Since I hadn't soaked the kabuli channa, I couldn't make that for dinner, and was at my wits end about what to do. Gatte ki subji to the rescue!
The recipe is a combination of my channa masala and my mother's gatte, and worked very well. The only problem is that the dog loves gatte too, and I know I have to make it in greater quantities in future.

For the gatte:

1 cup besan

1/2 tsp haldi powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp chilli powder

1/2 tsp ajwain

Salt to taste

1 tsp oil

For the masala:

1 medium onion chopped
1 medium tomato chopped fine
2 tsp ginger garlic paste
Oil
1 tsp rai
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp jeera powder
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
Salt to taste
Cooking oil

Method:

Mix all the solid ingredients under gatte well, add oil, and knead till you have a smooth dough. 

Roll into a cylinder and cut 1 1/2 inch long pieces.

Bring about 2 glasses water to a boil, drop the gatte pieces, and keep it in the water till they rise to the top. Once they do, take them out, and keep aside.

Heat 1 tbsp oil, add onions and saute till transparent. Add the tomatoes and ginger-garlic paste and cook till tomatoes turn mushy. Blend and keep aside.
Heat 1 tsp oil and splutter mustard seeds. Once they stop spluttering, add onion-tomato paste and the spice powders, and saute for 2 minutes.

Add the cooked gatte and sufficient water. Mix well, bring to boil, cover and let it simmer for 10 minutes.

Serve hot with chapattis.

Masaledar Baigan

After you discount cauliflower, ladyfingers and the vegetables that nobody will even dream of eating, you are left with very few veggies to choose from. Which is why I keep returning to the good old purple vegetable, even though nobody (except me) is particularly fond of them.
I've got a bunch of recipes that I keep repeating, but today, I was feeling adventurous and invented one of my own. Slightly involved, but more than worth it.

500 gms baby brinjals
1 medium onion chopped fine
1 medium tomato chopped fine
1 sprig curry leaves
1 tsp mustard seeds
2 tbsp whole dhania
2 tbsp grated coconut
3 tbsp raw peanuts
red chilli powder
turmeric powder
salt
cooking oil

Roast the peanuts and dhania separately till browned and keep aside to cool.
Wash the brinjals, remove the stalk, cut lengthwise, and fry till well browned. Drain on kitchen towel and keep aside.
Heat cooking oil, splutter mustard seeds, add curry leaves and onions and fry till onions turn translucent. Add tomatoes and cook on a low flame till it starts getting mushy.
Meanwhile, dry grind the dhania, peanuts and grated coconut, and add it to the cooked paste and cook with stirring for a minute.
Add the fried brinjals, mix well, so they are all evenly coated. Cover the vessel, and let it cook in its own steam for about 5 minutes.
Serve hot with rotis.