Kadai Vegetable

For kadai masala

• ▢ 1 tablespoon coriander seeds

• ▢ ½ teaspoon cumin seeds

• ▢ 2 cloves

• ▢ 2 green cardamoms

• ▢ ½ inch cinnamon

• ▢ 3 to 4 dry kashmiri red chilies – broken and seeds removed

• ▢ 1 teaspoon kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves)

• ▢ 8 to 9 cashews – whole and not halved

• ▢ 4 to 5 black peppercorns

Vegetables

• ▢ 100 grams carrots or ½ cup carrots cut in batons

• ▢ 100 grams potatoes or ½ cup potatoes cut in batons

• ▢ ⅔ cup green peas – fresh or frozen

• ▢ 100 grams bell pepper or 1 medium-sized or ½ cup sliced bell pepper (capsicum), any colored variety

• ▢ ⅓ cup sliced onions

• ▢ 1 tablespoon oil – for sautéing bell peppers and onions

Other ingredients

• ▢ 2 tablespoons oil

• ▢ ¼ cup chopped onions

• ▢ 1 teaspoon Ginger Garlic Paste or ½ inch ginger and 3 to 4 garlic – crushed to a paste in mortar-pestle

• ▢ 200 grams tomatoes or 3 medium tomatoes pureed – about ⅔ cup tomato puree

• ▢ ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

• ▢ ¼ teaspoon Red Chili Powder or cayenne pepper

• ▢ 1.5 to 2 cups water or as required

• ▢ salt as required

• ▢ 3 tablespoon light cream or cooking cream (low fat) or 1.5 tablespoons heavy or whipping cream

• ▢ 2 to 3 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves

• ▢ 1 inch ginger – julienne for garnish, optiona

INSTRUCTIONS

making kadai masala

• Heat a small frying pan. Keep heat to a low and add the following spices – coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cloves, green cardamoms, cinnamon, dry kashmiri red chilies, kasuri methi, cashews and black peppercorns.

• Stir often and roast on a low heat until the spices become fragrant. No need to brown the spices. Set aside.

• When the ingredients cool at room temperature, add all of the roasted ingredients in a mixer-grinder or spice grinder.

• Grind to a fine powder. Remove the kadai masala in a bowl and keep aside.

Preparing vegetables

• Blend tomatoes and make a smooth puree in the same mixer-grinder if its big enough or in another blender or mixer. No need to blanch tomatoes before pureeing. Set aside.

• In a pan heat 1 tablespoon oil and add the sliced onions and sliced bell pepper. Use any colored bell pepper.

• Stir very well and saute the onions and bell pepper on a low to medium heat.

• Saute till the bell peppers are half cooked. Some crunch is desirable.

• Remove the sauteed onions and bell peppers aside. Chop the potatoes and carrots in 2 inches batons and keep them aside too.

Making veg kadai

• In the same pan, then heat 2 tablespoons oil. Add ginger-garlic paste. Stir and sauté for some seconds on low until the raw aroma of ginger-garlic goes away.

• Next add finely chopped onions.

• Stir and saute the onions on medium-low to medium heat until they become light golden.

• Add the prepared tomato puree. If using ready tomato puree, then add ⅔ cup tomato puree.

• Add turmeric powder and red chili powder or cayenne pepper. Stir to combine.

• Sauté the masala stirring often on low to medium-low heat till the tomato puree cooks, the masala thickens and you see oil releasing from the sides.

• Then add the potato, carrot batons together with the green peas.

• Stir and saute for a minute.

• Add 1.5 to 2 cups water or as needed. Season with salt according to taste. Stir well.

• Cover the pan. On a medium heat simmer and cook the veggies. Check from time to time and if required, add more water.

• The veggies need to be cooked well yet still retain shape. They should not become too soft.

• Then add the ground kadai masala reserving 1 teaspoon of it for garnish. Stir very well.

• Add the sautéed bell peppers and onions. Mix and stir again.

• Simmer for 5 to 6 minutes on low to medium-low heat. If the kadai vegetable gravy looks dry, then add some water.

• Then add 3 tablespoons of light cream or low-fat cream or 1.5 tablespoons of heavy or whipping cream.

• Stir and mix the cream with the rest of the gravy. Switch off the heat.

• Lastly add chopped coriander leaves. Stir again very well.

• Serve veg kadai gravy hot garnished with some chopped coriander, ginger julienne and sprinkled with the reserved kadai masala. 

• Accompaniments for veg kadai are tandoori roti, naan, chapati, paratha, bread. Also goes well with steamed rice, jeera rice or saffron rice.