Ingredients

• 500 gm. or 4 large turnips, peeled and thickly sliced

• 2 onions, peeled

• 1/2 inch piece of ginger, peeled

• 2-3 cloves garlic, peeled (optional)

• 200-250 gm. fresh tomatoes, chopped. Tinned can be used.

• 1 tbsp. cooking oil

• 1 tsp. cumin seeds

• 1 small pinch of asafoetida

• 2 bay leaves*

• 2 large brown cardamoms*

• 3-4 peppercorns*

• 3-4 cloves*

• 1 small stick of cinnamon*

• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder

• 1/4 tsp. chilli powder

• 1 tsp. of coriander powder

• Salt to taste

• 1/2 tsp. Garam Masala

• 1 tbsp. of chopped coriander leaves

• 1 1/2 cup water

• *If you don't have these to hand, use 1/2 tsp. extra Garam masala

Instructions

1. Grind together onion, garlic and ginger in a food processor or chop/grate finely by hand.

2. Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds, asafoetida powder, all whole spices marked*.

3. When the cumin seeds splutter, add onion, ginger, garlic and fry until golden to dark brown (not burnt).

4. Add Baries here, if used. Sir-fry for a minute or so.

5. Add all powdered spices, except garam masala and stir for 10 seconds, to release flavours.

6. Add tomatoes and stir fry until oil separates.

7. Add turnips and stir well to coat all pieces with spices.

8. Add water, bring to boil and cook covered on low-medium heat, until turnips are tender. I usually cook it in a pressure cooker on full pressure for 2-3 minutes.

9. Cool and open pressure cooker. The gravy should be thick. However, if it gets too thick, add some more hot water and give it a quick boil.

10. Stir in garam masala.

11. Add half the coriander leaves and mix gently, garnish with remaining half before serving.

12. Serve with hot Chapatti, Tandoori Roti 1 or Plain Paratha.

Notes

• At step 2, you can use Panch Pooran instead of cumin seeds alone.

• I sometimes add a couple of Baries to make this dish more spicy, as in the pictures.