Besan ko tarkari is a good vegetarian substitute for fish curry on Diwali. Like Kadhi badi, it is also prepared on special occasions, however, it is also cooked when a household is running out of greens in the kitchen. Here’s how you make it:

Ingredients:

• 500g gram flour

• 1 cup mustard seed paste

• 6-7 cloves garlic, as paste

• 2 onions, diced fine

• 3-4 medium tomatoes, chopped

• 1 tbsp cumin

• 1 tbsp garam masala

• 1 tbsp red chilli powder

• 1 tbsp turmeric powder

• 2 tbsps coriander powder

• 2 cups mustard oil

• Salt, to taste

Directions

Boil a litre of water and add gram flour and stir until firm. Knead the dough and roll until between one and two centimetres thick. Cut into whatever shape you like. Heat a pan with oil and fry the gram flour until reddish-brown.

Now, start preparing your tadka for the curry. Heat another pan with two tablespoons of mustard oil and add the garlic and onion pastes and chopped tomatoes. Cook thoroughly, then add mustard paste, so the curry doesn’t become bitter. Add salt, turmeric, chilli, garam masala and coriander. Add three cups of water and let it boil for 10 minutes. Finally, add fried besan, cover and let cook for a further five minutes. Remove from heat.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Best served with rice or roti.