Bottle Gourd/लौकी(Lauki)/葫子(huzi)

Thanks to my immigrant farmers, I can find some vegetables that are common in India, but hard to find in mainstream grocery stores here, the lauki is a good example. I bought these at the Oakland Chinatown farmers' market, they were fresh and perfect. Look for the young ones that are not too big.

I like to cook lauki from time to time to introduce some seasonal variety to my cooking. I peel it and then cut it in to small pieces. 

Saute one medium sized onion, garlic, and whole dried red chili peppers, add some cumin as well. Add three medium sized tomatoes and saute until the oil separates, add cumin, and turmeric, and the pieces of lauki. Add about two cups of water, and cook at medium heat for 15 minutes, lower the heat and cook for another 10 minutes or so, until the lauki is fully cooked. 

Eggs

The best eggs are to be found at the farmers' market, I like the eggs from Highland Hills Farm, and Kaki Farm. The eggs are two to three times more expensive than regular grocery stores, but they are the real deal. The yolk is bright orange(as it should be), and they taste like how eggs do in the rest of the world. You are paying for the fact that these eggs are the outcome of nature's natural rate of production, which is inherently less efficient, but produces a far superior product.

I boil the eggs for six and a half minute, I prefer a slightly runny yolk. I sprinkle them with Indian kala namak(literal translation: black salt, although it is pink in color!).  It turns black when you sprinkle it on the eggs, not sure what kind of a reaction is taking place. It is known to have trace amounts of iron sulfide and hydrogen sulfide, the latter is toxic in high concentrations, but the amount is pretty low in the black salt that it apparently does not pose any health risk. You can just use plain old iodized salt and skip this risky black salt business.

Little Thai Eggplants(बैंगन)

This is a simple recipe to cook the tiny round eggplants in an Indian karahi(wok). I have seen at least three different types of these eggplants, the pictures below show you the color and texture. The yellow one's are a bit sweeter than the green and the light purple ones. The Oakland Chinatown farmers market is a good place, these are mostly grown and sold by East Asian immigrant farmers.

I cut the eggplants in to small wedges as shown below. The pieces will retain their shape more or less when fully cooked and don't really need to be cut in to small pieces.

Add mustard oil to the karahi and heat it add medium flame. Add two teaspoons of coarsely crushed black cumin, followed by chopped garlic, and dried red chillies, I break them in to pieces by hand. I couldn't find ginger, but ginger would go well with this recipe. Add the onions and saute until they are brown, about 8 minutes or so. Add two medium tomatoes. Cook until the oil separates. Add the egg plant and stir everything.

Add turmeric(1 teaspoon), garam masala(1 and a half teaspoon), salt, and a pinch of crushed red pepper. Stir to mix in the spices, add a cup of water, and cover. Let it cook at medium heat for about 20 minutes, and lower the heat towards the end. Also, stir occasionally to make sure the eggplant does not stick at the bottom of the karahi.