Veggie Foodie

Kalvan – Veg Curry

Ingredients:

• 2 cups mixed boiled vegetables (carrots, French beans, green peas and potatoes)
• 1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
• 1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing)
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tsp sugar
• salt to taste
• 1 teaspoon oil

For the gravy

• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 tablespoon ginger, chopped
• 1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
• 4 to 6 curry leaves
• 1/2 cup desiccated coconut
• 1 cup tomatoes, chopped
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 2 tbsp oil
• salt to taste

Method:

1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan, add the onions, ginger, garlic and curry leaves and sauté for 4-5 minutes over slow heat
2. Add desiccated coconut and stir constantly till it becomes light brown in color
3. Add chili and turmeric powder, salt and chopped tomatoes and cook till tomatoes are cooked
4. Cool the mix and then grind it to a fine paste
5. Bring the paste to the same pan and put it on slow heat
6. In a separate small pan, heat 1 tbsp oil and add cumin seed. When the seeds crackle, add asafetida. Add this oil to the paste being sauted in the pan
7. Cook this paste / gravy on slow heat till the gravy thickens and the oil starts to separate
8. Add the milk, 1 cup water, sugar and the cooked vegetables
9. Bring to boil and add more salt if necessary
10. Serve hot with any Indian bread

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp urad dhal
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
• 1 tsp fennel seeds, coarsely pounded
• 1 dried chili, broken into 2-3 cm pieces

• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 1 green chili, cut into 1 cm pieces
• 10-12 curry leaves

• 500 g / about 1 lb pumpkin, seeded, peeled and cut into 2-cm cubes
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• Salt to taste

• 50 g tamarind, mixed with 100 ml water and then strained
• 2 tbsp grated jaggery or brown sugar
• 3 tbsp grated coconut

Method:

1. Heat the oil and fry urad dhal, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds and dry chili pieces till mustard seeds start popping, making sure dhal doesn’t turn too dark / start burning
2. Add fennel seeds and stir for a few seconds
3. Add onion, green chili pieces and curry leaves. Saute till onion is golden brown
4. Add pumpkin pieces, chili, cumin, coriander and turmeric powder and saute for a few seconds
5. Add water, bring to boil and then lower heat, cover till pumpkin is very tender (almost mushy)
6. Add tamarind, jaggery and coconut. Cook till liquid is absorbed (1-2 minutes)
7. Serve hot with hot chapatti (soft Indian bread)

Serves: 4

Inspiration source:

South Indian Cookbook by Devagi Sanmugam, page 126

Ingredients:

• 1 cup masoor dal (split red lentil)
• 1 cup chopped spinach leaves
• 1 fenugreek (methi) leaves
• 1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 tsp dried mango powder (amchur)
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 3/4 tsp chilli powder
• 2 tbsp ghee
• salt to taste

For the paste

• 3 cloves of garlic
• 2 green chillies
• 25 mm. (1″) piece of ginger

Method:

1. Grind the paste ingredients into fine paste and keep aside
2. Clean, wash and soak the masoor dal in water for about 30 minutes and then drain
3. Add the turmeric powder, salt and 2 cups of water and pressure cook till the dal is cooked (3 whistles)
4. Whisk well to mash the dal and keep it aside
5. Heat the ghee in a large pan, add the onions and cumin seeds and fry for about 2 minutes
6. Add the spinach, fenugreek and coriander leaves and cook for 2-3 minutes till the leaves are tender
7. Add amchur powder, tomatoes, chili powder, ground paste and salt and sauté for a couple of minutes
8. Add the cooked dal and 1/2 water and bring to boil and then simmer for a few minutes
9. Serve hot with rice

Serves: 4