Acid (or Khdtld Sabzi) KdrhL

Ingredients

• 2 medium Potatoes (Or substitute with other seasonal vegetables as available)
• 2 medium Artichokes (Jerusalem artichokes work well; use small quantities of all kinds of seasonal vegetables if preferred)
• 2 medium Sweet potatoes (Or substitute with other seasonal vegetables)
• 1 portion Condiments as given in Recipe 30 (These are the spice condiments specified in Recipe 30 of the same book; use the quantities and spices as directed in that recipe)
• 1 small amount Coriander seed (Dhunneeah) (A small pinch or roughly half a teaspoon; lightly crush before use if desired)
• 2 large cups Tamarind water (To make tamarind water, soak a walnut-sized ball of tamarind paste in 2 large cups of warm water for 10 minutes, then squeeze and strain)
• 1 small amount Jaggry (Gur) (Just enough to lightly sweeten the tamarind water; start with roughly 1 teaspoon and adjust to taste. Jaggery is an unrefined cane sugar available at Indian grocery stores.)
• 1 few Fresh chillies (A few whole or slit green chillies; adjust quantity to your heat preference)
• 0.5 Chittack Mustard oil (Half a Chittack is approximately 1.5 tablespoons. Mustard oil has a pungent flavour; it is available at Indian grocery stores.)
• 1 teaspoon Onion seeds (Nigella / Kalonji) (Also known as kalonji or nigella seeds; these are small black seeds with an onion-like flavour, not actual onion seeds)

Instructions

1. 1Soak a walnut-sized ball of tamarind paste in 2 large cups of warm water for about 10 minutes. Use your fingers to squeeze and break up the tamarind into the water, releasing its flavour and colour. Strain the liquid through a fine sieve or strainer into a bowl, discarding the solids. You should be left with 2 large cups of tamarind water.
2. 2Peel the potatoes, artichokes, and sweet potatoes. Cut each one into large chunks, roughly 4–5 cm (about 2 inches) in size. If you are using a mix of seasonal vegetables, cut all of them into similarly sized large pieces so they cook evenly.
3. 3Place the cut vegetables in a medium saucepan and cover with enough water to submerge them. Add the condiments from Recipe 30 and a small amount of coriander seed (Dhunneeah). Bring to the boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a steady simmer and cook until the vegetables are just tender when pierced with a fork — this will take roughly 10–15 minutes depending on the size of your pieces. Do not overcook; you want the vegetables to hold their shape. Drain and set aside.
4. 4Pour the prepared tamarind water (from Step 1) into a small saucepan. Add the jaggery (Gur) — start with about 1 teaspoon — and stir over low heat until it dissolves. Taste and add a little more if needed; the water should be only lightly sweetened with the tartness of the tamarind still prominent. Strain this sweetened liquid once more through a sieve to remove any remaining solids or undissolved pieces.
5. 5Return the drained, boiled vegetables to a large saucepan or pot. Pour the strained, sweetened tamarind water over the vegetables. Add the fresh chillies — whole or slit lengthways — to the pot. Stir gently to combine, being careful not to break up the vegetable pieces.
6. 6Place a small saucepan or frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the mustard oil (approximately 1.5 tablespoons) and let it heat until it just begins to shimmer. Note: mustard oil is traditionally heated to its smoking point and then cooled slightly before use, which mellows its pungency — heat until you see the first wisps of smoke, then remove from heat for 30 seconds before proceeding. Return to medium heat. Add the onion seeds (kalonji/nigella seeds) to the hot oil. They will sizzle and pop immediately. Fry them for about 30–45 seconds, stirring, until they are fragrant. Do not let them burn.
7. 7Carefully pour the hot mustard oil and fried onion seeds directly over the vegetables and tamarind water in the large pot. It will sizzle loudly — this is the tempering (tadka) that adds a burst of flavour. Stir gently to distribute the oil and seeds through the curry.
8. 8Place the lid on the large pot. Set the heat to low and let the curry simmer gently for 15–20 minutes. This allows all the flavours — the tamarind, jaggery, spices, and mustard oil tempering — to meld together and absorb into the vegetables. After 15 minutes, taste the curry and check the balance of sour and sweet; the vegetables should be very tender and the sauce slightly reduced. Serve hot.