Another Sunday and another recipe. While browsing online for something to pair with my Saffron Cumin Rice, I found a few kadhai vegetable recipes which I modified to make this delicious recipe for our Sunday lunch. It was super yummy and a definite keeper.

Kadhai Vegetables

Ingredients:

For the masala powder:

• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2-3 cloves
• 2-3 green cardamom
• 1/2 inch piece of cinammon
• 4-5 dried red chillies
• 5-7 black peppercorns
• 8-10 raw cashewnuts
• 1 tbsp kasuri methi

For the vegetables:

• 1 carrot
• 1 medium-sized potato
• 1/2 cup frozen green peas
• 1 large sized green bell pepper
• 2 medium sized onions
• 1 cup frozen paneer
• 2-3 tbsp oil

For the Gravy:

• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 medium-sized onion
• 1 inch ginger
• 4-5 garlic cloves
• 3 tomatoes
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp red chilli powder (or to taste)
• Salt to taste
• Coriander leaves to garnish

Method:

• In a dry pan, dry roast the ingredients for the masala – coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cloves, green cardamom, cinammon, dried red chillies, peppercorns, cashewnuts and kasuri methi – until it becomes fragrant and starts to brown.
• Remove and keep aside until it is cooled. Then blend using a spice grinder into a fine and smooth powder. Keep aside.
• In a blender, blend the ginger and garlic and make into a fine paste and keep aside.
• Soak the frozen paneer in hot water for 20-30 minutes, then drain and keep aside.
• Chop the carrot, potato and green bell pepper into 1 inch sticks and keep aside.
• Slice 2 onions and keep aside.
• In the same pan, heat 2 tbsp oil and one by one, fry the carrot, potato and peas until they are half cooked and start to slightly char. Remove and keep aside.
• In the same pan, add another tbsp oil and fry the sliced onions until they start caramelising and keep aside. Fry the bell pepper until it is half cooked (it shuld have a bit of crunch in it) and keep aside.
• Chop the remaining onion finely and keep aside.
• In thr same blender, blend the tomatoes into a fine puree and keep aside.
• Heat the balance oil in the pan and when the oil warms up, put in the ginger-garlic paste and saute the paste till the raw smell goes away.
• Then add the finely chopped onions and saute till it turns translucent.
• At this point, add the pureed tomatoes and stir well.
• Add the dried spices (turmeric and red chilli powders) and stir well. Keep stirring occassionally until the gravy starts to thicken and you can see the oil leaving the sides of the pan.
• Add in the fried carrot, potato and peas and let the vegetables finish cooking completely.
• Then add the ground masala powder, salt, and about one cup of water and let the gravy simmer on a low to medium heat, covered, for about 5-6 minutes.
• Then add the paneer, fried onions and capsicum and contine simmering for another 5 minutes. Add more water if needed.
• Check for seasoning and garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or rotis.