Vegetable Kurma

The vegetable kurma is a mixed vegetable dish. I make it in a cashew nut – coconut gravy. It is mild and retains the flavours of the vegetable. It can be eaten with chapattis or pooris.

Serves: 6 Persons

Prep. Time: 20 Mins.

Cooking Time: 40 Mins.

Ingredients:

Mixed Vegetable (see note below) – 450 gms.
Onion (finely chopped) – 1 medium
Tomato (cut into quarters) – 1 medium
Tomato (finely chopped) – 1 medium
Fresh Ginger-Garlic Paste – 1 tbsp.
Coconut (grated) – ½ small
Corriander Leaves (finely chopped) – 2 tbsp.
Cashew nuts – 5 to 6
Poppy Seeds – 1 tsp.
Roasted Chana Dal [Dalia] – 1 tbsp.
Cloves – 4
Cinnamon – 1 inch
Green Cardamom – 3
Bay Leaves – 2
Corriander Powder – 1 tbsp.
Cumin Powder – ½ tsp.
Red Chilly Powder – 1 ½ to 2 tsp.
Oil – 2 tbsp.
Salt – 1 tsp.

Step 1: Soak the cashew nuts and poppy seeds in 50 ml. hot water for 15 minutes.

Step 2: Grind the coconut and dalia with the soaked cashew nuts and poppy seeds to a fine paste and keep aside.

Step 3: Heat the oil in a pan and add the cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, bay leaves and sauté for a few seconds on medium heat. Add the chopped onion, ¼ tsp. salt and sauté till the onion is light golden.

Step 4: Add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté for a minute on low heat. Next add the tomatoes and sauté till they turn soft. Throw in all the powdered masalas and sauté for a minute (add a tbsp. of water if the masalas start sticking to the pan).

Step 5: Now add the chopped vegetables and the quartered tomato with 400 ml. warm water and ½ tsp. salt. Cover and cook on low heat for 12 to 15 minutes till the vegetables are half cooked.

Step 6: When the vegetables are half done, add the ground paste and cook covered for a further 12 to 15 minutes till all the vegetables are cooked but crunchy. Garnish with corriander leaves.

Note: