Mixed Vegetable Curry

Being born in south India, I grew up eating south indian dishes mostly, but I loved eating north indian dishes whenever we go to restaurants. Especially the mixed vegetable curry with butter naan was my all time favourite. Different combination of vegetables cooked in onion gravy tastes amazing. Do not overcook vegetables for this makes them turn mashy. Well you don't need to have any plan to make this curry. Check out for the vegetables lying down in your fridge, thats what I did too. A potato, carrot, capsicum, tomato, green peas and here goes my dish ....

Other vegetables like cauliflower, sweet potato, french beans, brinjal etc., can also be used to cook this dish. I could'nt go out to get them all and hence fixed it up with what is available.

We'd need ....

Potato - 1 (cut into cubes)

Yellow Capsicum - 1 (cut to thin slices lengthwise)

Red Capsicum - 1 (cut to thin slices lengthwise)

Carrot - 1 (cut into cubes)

Green peas - 1 cup (boiled)

Cherry tomatoes - 7 (cut into two halves)

Onions - 4 medium size (sliced lengthwise)

Cloves - 5

Elaichi - 1 (cardamom pod)

Cinnamon stick - 1 inch

Ginger - 2 inch

Garlic pods - 2

Bay leaves - 3

Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp

Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp

Chilly powder - 1 tsp

Garam masala - 1 tsp

Butter/Heavy Cream - 1 tbsp

Water - 1 cup

Salt to taste

Oil - 2 tsps

Coriander leaves - 1 sprig (finely chopped for garnish)

1. Pressure cook vegetables in 2 cups of water till 3 whistles. Once cool, remove and drain excess water. Excess water can be saved and reused at a later stage while adding water to this curry.

2. Heat 1 tsp of oil in a kadhai/sauce pan, add half the onions and fry till soft and light brown in color. Remove from flame, allow to cool and grind to smooth paste along with cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger and garlic. Set aside.

3. Heat rest of the oil in a kadhai, add bay leaves, fry for a minute.

4. Add remaining onions and fry till soft and golden brown.

5. Add ground onion paste, chilly powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, salt to taste and fry for 2-3 mts on medium flame.

6. Add boiled vegetables, green peas, cherry tomatoes and mix well.


7. Add water and bring it to boil, reduce the flame and allow to cook till the gravy is thick.

8. Once the gravy is thick add garam masala, butter/cream and mix well.

9. Switch of the flame, garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with naan, roti or chapathis.

Mudda Pappu (Toor Dal)

This is termed to be andhra delicacy served first during any meal. Steamed rice with mudda pappu, avakayi and ghee, this has always remained my all time favourite since childhood. Simple and easy to cook too. Soft cooked rice with a dollop of ghee and mudda pappu is a nutritious meal for kids. This can also be cooked using pesarapappu/yellow split moong dal. Here it goes ....

We need ....

Kandipappu/Toor Dal/Red Gram Dal - 1 cup

Water - 2 cups

Oil - 1 tsp

Turmeric - 1/4 tsp

Salt to taste

1. Wash dal and soak in 2 cups of water for 15 mts. Soaking helps dal cook faster.

2. Pressure cook till 3-4 whistles or till the dal is soft.

3. Once the pressure goes off, remove the lid, add salt and mash well.

4. Serve with hot steamed rice a dollop of ghee (clarified butter), avakayi with papad or vadiyalu as accompaniment.

Tomato Pappu (Tomato Dal)

Its comfort food time at home these days and tomato dal is my first choice I'd opt for. I love this simple yet tasty flavor dish that goes well with chapati or steamed rice accompanied with potato fry. Here goes the recipe ....

What we need ....

Toor Dal (kandipappu) - 1 cup

Tomatoes - 6 (finely chopped)

Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Garlic - 4 cloves (crushed)

Chilly powder - 3/4 tsp

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Green Chillies - 4 (slit lengthwise)

Tamarind pulp - 2 tbsps (thick pulp)

Oil - 2 tbsp

Salt to taste

For the popu/tadka

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Asofoetida powder - 1 tsp

Coriander leaves - 1 small bunch finely chopped for garnish

How to ...

1. Wash dal, add 3 cups of water, turmeric, 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds, 1 tsp of oil, and pressure cook till soft. Once cooked mash dal and set aside.

2. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a sauce pan. Add mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds (1tsp), as they start spluttering add curry leaves, garlic, green chillies and asofoetida powder.

3. Lower the flame and add chopped tomatoes.

4. Cover and cook on medium heat till the tomatoes turn soft. Add chilly powder, salt, coriander powder and allow to cook for 2 mts.

5. Add mashed dal, tamarind pulp. Add water if the consistency of dal is thick. Cook for 4 mts on medium flame. Switch off.


6. Garnish with coriander and serve hot with steamed rice, a dollop of ghee accompanied with potato fry or papads.