Babycorn Masala| Easy Side Dishes

Yesterday I posted homemade Whole Wheat Parotta recipe and today, it's one of the easiest side dishes for any Indian bread - Simple Babycorn Masala. I love babycorn and usually make cripy fried babycorn or use it up in Veg Jalfrezi. Last weekend, while making Parotta, I had my mind fixed on Babycorn Masala and it turned out to be one the simplest yet tastier side dishes. The base of my curry recipe is pretty simple - onions and tomatoes cooked, made into a paste, thrown in together with a whole lot of masala powders. To cut short on the amount of oil usage in the curry, I turn to my microwave for easy and hassle free cooking of onions and tomatoes. The moisture in tomatoes is enough the cook the onions and zero oil used. Usually, I dont boil babycorn for too long but as I had to serve this to my parents, I pressure cooked the babycorn to soften them up. The highlight was using the milk skin in the place of cream. It was creamy enough, without adding too much to the calorie intake. Perfect isnt it?! Substitute babycorn for mixed vegetables or garbanzo beans, I can still assure you great results.

To make Babycorn Masala

Servings: 4
Time: 30 mins
Difficulty: Easy
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What I used -

Babycorn/Cornlettes, 15-20
Onion, 3 large
Tomato, 2 medium
Ginger Garlic Paste, 1.5 tsp
Oil, 2 tsp
Dried Bay Leaf, 1
Red Chilli Powder, 1 tsp
Garam Masala Powder, ½ tsp
Coriander Powder, ¾ tsp
Jeera Powder, ¾ tsp
Turmeric Powder, ½ tsp
Low Fat Fresh Cream/Milk Skin (Paaladai), 1 tbsp
Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves, 1-2 tsp
Salt, as required
Water, as required

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How I made -

1. Cut the baby corn into small bite sized pieces and pressure cook with enough water (to cover) for 1-2 whistles on medium flame. Set aside. In a microwave safe bowl, add roughly chopped onion and tomato pieces. Microwave on high for 5-6 mins until they look cooked. Let it cool completely. Make a fine smooth paste of it. Set aside.

prep1

2. In a nonstick pan, heat 2 teaspoon of oil. Add dried bay leaf and fry for ten secs. Add ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute. Add the ground onion-tomato paste. Add the dry masala powders - red chilli powder, garam masala powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and jeera powder. Add salt required. Fry for 3-4 mins.

prep2

3. Keep it closed on cook on low flame for another 5-7 mins until the masala powders are well cooked and there is no raw smell. Add the pressure cooked babycorn pieces, add some water if required and cook closed for another 5 mins.

prep3

4. Add the low fat fresh cream or milk skin, mix well. Add finely chopped coriander leaves. Remove from heat.

prep4

5. Serve hot with Kulchas/Rotis/Parotta/Phulkas/Naan.

Note -

Instead of pressure cooking the babycorn, they can be cooked in the gravy as well.
The onion tomato mixture can be cooked on stove top in a thick bottomed vessel with a teaspoon of oil.
For additional spiciness, green chillies can be fried in the butter/oil at the start.
Adjust spices as per preference.
A pinch of sugar can be added if the tomatoes are too tangy.
For richer version, cashew paste can be added along with cream.
Instead of babycorn, meat or parboiled vegetables can be used.