Mixed vegetable kurma is a coconut based vegetable stew that is very popular across South India and is served as a side dish along with chapathi (flat bread) in almost all the Hotels and Restaurants and not for nothing it has been often called as Chapati Kurma too. Mopping up the creamy kurma with chapathis or rotis is the best way to have them and not only that, it goes well along with one pot meals such as pulaos and biryanis as well.
Though there are several versions of making this kurma across the many households, this is how I make it and like my Hotel Tiffin Sambar, this kurma has also been always appreciated by my guests and friends whenever I have served them as the texture and the taste comes close the ones that gets served in hotels. As on most of the nights we have only chapathis for our dinner, among all the side dishes that I make to go with it, this kurma is the one that is very much demanded and loved by my kids at home.
Hotel Mixed Vegetable Kurma Recipe
Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 30 mins | Serves: 4
Recipe Cuisine: South Indian | Recipe Category: Side dish
Recipe Cuisine: South Indian | Recipe Category: Side dish
Ingredients:
- Carrot – 1
- French beans – 10
- Knol-khol (turnip) – 1
- Cauliflower Florets – 1/4 cup
- Fresh Green peas – 1/2 cup
- Onion – 1
- Tomato – 1
- Red chili powder – 2 tsp
- Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
- Biriyani Poo – 2 generous pinch
- Bay leaf – 1
- Star anise – 1
- Curry leaves – 1 sprig
- Salt – to taste
- Oil – 1 tbsp
To be Ground to a smooth paste:
- Fresh grated coconut – 1/2 cup
- Fennel seeds – 1 tsp
- Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp
- Cashew nuts – 8 to 10
- Khus- Khus (poppy seeds) – 1 tsp
- Ginger – 1 inch piece
- Garlic – 5 pods
- Cardamom - 2
- Cinnamon – 1 inch stick
- Cloves – 2
- Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
Instructions:
- Chop the carrots, beans, knol-khol to the size you prefer. Place carrots, beans, cauliflower, peas and turnip in a vessel and steam cook for 1 whistle. I used my microwave and cooked for 3 mins at High. Keep aside.
- Grind the ingredients mentioned under the “to be ground to a fine paste” using little water to a smooth paste and keep aside.
- Chop the onions and quarter the tomatoes.
- Heat a wide pan or a wok with oil. Add biriyani poo, bay leaf, star anise and sauté till the aroma arises. Now add mustard seeds and let it splutter.
- Add onions, curry leaves and sauté till the onions turns translucent. Now add red chili powder, salt and mix well. The mixture will become dry.
- Now add the ground coconut paste and enough water to the consistency you prefer the kurma to be and mix well and cook over low flame.
- Let it come to a boil. Add the par boiled vegetables, quartered tomato pieces, give it a quick stir, check the consistency of the kurma now and add more water if necessary at this stage. Close the pan with a lid leaving a small gap and let the kurma cook over medium low flame for 7-10 mins.
- By now the gravy would have thickened considerably, the vegetables would have been completely cooked, the raw smell would have gone and you can smell the aroma of the kurma.
- Transfer to a serving bowl and serve hot with chapathi, poori or parotta.
Notes:
- The vegetables should be par boiled the first time. So take care not to over cook it.
- If you cannot get fresh peas, use frozen or dried, soaked peas.
- You can add or remove the vegetables and make this kurma according to the veggies you have on hand.
- Use coconut that’s fresh for better taste.