Aloo pepe dalna (Potatoes and green papaya curry)

1. Peel and dice green papaya and potatoes into bite sized pieces. Microwave for 4 mins
2. In a wok, add mustard oil, panch phoron, bay leaves, papaya, potatoes, slit green chilies, grated ginger, asafoetida. Cook covered. Add a cup of warm water if necessary.
3. Add 1 tsp ghee, freshly ground Bengali garam masala (cardamom, cinnamon and clove)  or basic bhaja masala (dry-roasted and ground cumin, coriander and dry red chilies)  and chopped cilantro.

You may also add fried shrimp to make it a non-vegetarian dish.

For more vegetables with shrimp recipes, click here

Moong dal with raw papaya

Lentils are a good source of protein and have always been my favorite with rice. As a kid, my favorite meal would be masoor dal and aloo bhaja, never understanding why Mom insisted that I should eat everything else that followed. Later, living in North India helped me appreciate the intricacies of other dal preparations. For beginners, this seems a relatively easy dish to concoct, and you will be amazed by the versatility of those tiny little things. As long as you put the right amount of salt, nothing can go wrong.

Raw papaya is one of my favorite vegetables that I can eat in any form- even steamed with a little salt to taste.

Moong dal with raw papaya
First, dry heat the Split yellow lentil(moong)in a vessel. When it gives off an aroma, wash in running water, drain and set aside.
Add ghee/cooking oil, bay leaves, jeera to a preheated vessel.
Add a pinch of Asafoetida if you like it. I have heard it aids digestion.
Add the diced papaya, salt, turmeric, slit green chillies and grated ginger
Add the moong, cover and cook for a while
If you are using a pressure cooker with whistle, 2 whistles should be enough. Else cook it for 20 mins.
Garnish with cilantro (coriander leaves)