Babycorn-Capsicum Curry | Babycorn Masala

Babycorn is my favorite vegetable. Don't ask me why !! lots of times there are no reasons for liking or disliking specific vegetables. On a different note, quite sadly this vegetable was not available at our place during my childhood.I used to relish this vegetable especially during my trips to Bangalore during schooldays. This continued later as well when I was working at Bangalore and I used to land up in food world on Friday evenings for my shopping. Babycorn,strawberries and different types of bread used to be the typical fare on my shopping menu. My cousins used to tease me a lot for this as anyone visiting our house would have at least once tasted "baby-corn sabzi" that I used to prepare. Babycorn manchurian is probably the best picks for me amongst the other variations of babycorn that i have tried. It is easy and quick to make and invariably comes out quite well.

I love this curry a lot,the crispier baby corn complements the silky softness of the gravy very nicely.I added green capsicum to go along with baby corn,you can add various bell peppers in the recipe.This gravy is quite versatile and works best as the base for many gravies,the options are endless.Check out my notes for few ideas.

I am sending this to "WYF-side dish" event hosted by EasyCrafts.
Babycorn Capsicum Curry Recipe:
(Serves 3-4)

Ingredients:
12-15 sliced Babycorn
1 Big green capsicum diced
2 Onions sliced
3 Tomatoes chopped
7-8 cashewnuts(or 2-3 tbsp Watermelon seeds)
2 tsp Ginger-Garlic paste
1 tsp Red chilli powder
1 tsp Coriander powder
1 tsp Kasuri methi
1/2 tsp Garam masala
1/2 tsp Cumin powder
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Amchur powder
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
a pinch of Sugar
2-3 tbsp Cream(or 1/4 cup Milk)
2 tbsp chopped Coriander
Salt to taste
2-3 tbsp Oil
1 tbsp Butter
Method:

• Cut baby corn into 1" pieces and cut them into halves and boil them in water for 4-5 mins or microwave on HIGH for 3 mins.They should be crisp and not completely cooked.
• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan add babycorn and fry for 2-3 mins and then add sliced capsicum and fry for another 2-3 mins.Add a fat pinch of salt while frying the vegetables.The vegetables should be really crisp and slightly soft.
• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a kadai,fry the sliced onions till pink,add ginger-garlic paste and chopped tomatoes and fry until it forms a pulpy mixture.Add cashewnuts(or water melon seeds), red chilli powder,coriander powder,jeera powder,turmeric powder,a pinch of sugar,amchur powder and salt and fry until the masalas are cooked.
• Cool the mixture and grind all these ingredients to a smooth paste.Add enough water while grinding but make it into a real fine paste.
• Heat 1 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp butter in the same kadai and crackle cumin seeds.Add the ground paste and fry until the oil leaves the edges.
• Add the roasted babycorn and capsicum and kasuri methi to it and cover it and cook for 3-4 mins.Switch off the flame.
• Add the cream(or milk) and chopped corriander to the curry and mix well.

Serve it hot with Roti/Phulka/Chapati/Naan or Pulao/Jeera rice.Serve Onion juliennes(soaked in lemon juice),Aam ka achar and few lemon wedges along with it to have a nice meal.A sprinkle of lemon juice on top of curry will definitely take it to another level.

Notes:

1. The recipe is very versatile.You can make various combinations of vegetables like Babycorn Peas,Mixed vegetables,colored peppers with babycorn or paneer with the same gravy.
2. One can use either cream or milk in the recipe.Cream makes the gravy richer and the addition of milk makes it bit low fat but still tastier.
3. I add watermelon seeds in the gravy in place of cashews most of the time and love both the ways thoroughly.
4. Do not add more than 1 tsp of kasuri methi in the gravy,it will make it bitter.
5. Serve the gravy with lemon wedges.A dash of lemon would definitely make it more tastier.