Red Radish Kurma

As soon as I saw the 'Grow your Own' Event, I knew my entry had to be using some Red Radishes that I have been growing in my garden. The one vegetable that has a foolproof harvest guarantee, takes the shortest time to mature and is the best bet for a beginner gardener is radish. Yep, it surprisingly take 21 days to maturity...that would be for a fairly normal weathered town..as for a town like Seattle..it takes about 30-35 days. But, still its a fairly short amount considering the development from tiny seeds...to ruby red rosy bulbs..

I almost didn't have the heart to cook them...for they would lose their pretty pink color. I shaved a couple on top of salads...but I had to make something that would be good usage of the bulk of it, and this kurma was the perfect dish. As you can see from the pictures above..there was a whole lot of dirt and grit hugging the radishes..I had to soak and scrub and make sure the kurma was seasoned without dirt, but it was well worth it. :)

Wash the radishes clean and cut them into quarters. Now, don't throw the greens away..they are so full of flavor. I have a special recipe for it coming very soon. :)

Grind the carrot, green chillies, coconut, garam masala, coriander powder, ginger garlic paste and one tomato into a fine paste, adding water as necessary. Set aside. Heat oil in a wide bottomed pan over medium heat. Add the cinnamon and clove. Let it fry and infuse the oil. Then add the chopped onion and turmeric powder. Saute until golden. Add the chopped tomato and salt and saute until smooth and pulpy. Now add the ground mixture. Saute until the raw masalas are cooked and oil floats on top. Add the quartered radishes and saute until cooked but still crisp. Add enough water to make gravy of desired thickness. Let it come to a boil.

Sprinkle with the chopped cilantro and serve with rice or roti.

Verdict: Nothing beats the taste of fresh from the garden cooking...My grandmother always plucked fresh curry leaves from the tree in our backyard every time she did a tadka..She would send me down(we lived on the 2nd floor) and I would moan and complain...saying why can't you get the bulk of it and put it in the fridge..and save me a trip. She'd say..'When it is plucked from the tree..minutes before it ends up in your mouth, it heightens the flavor more than you can ever imagine.' Those words made sense to me, as I tasted this kurma..I guess there is nothing more to say for this post. I'm nostalgic beyond words..