Indian Vegetable Bhaji

Indian Vegetable Bhaji

Vegetable Curry Ingredients

• 4 large potatoes, finely chopped
• 100g cauliflower florets
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 75g garden peas
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
• 2 whole bay leaves
• 4 green chillies, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 teaspoons minced root ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon chilli powder (optional)
• fresh coriander to garnish (optional)

Vegetable Curry Instructins

Place the potatoes, cauliflower, carrot and peas into a microwave-safe bowl, cover with cling film, and microwave on High until the vegetables are hot and starting to soften, about 2 minutes. Remove the cling flim, and drain the vegetables in a sieve.

Place the vegetable oil in a large frying pan, and heat over medium heat. Cook and stir the onion until it turns golden, about 10 minutes, and stir in the cumin seed, black mustard seed and bay leaves. Cook and stir until the seeds begin to sputter, about 30 seconds, and then add the green chillies, garlic and ginger. Cook and stir until the garlic begins to brown, about 1 minute.

Stir in the ground cumin, curry powder and chilli powder, and then add the partially cooked potatoes, cauliflower, carrot and peas. Cook and stir until the vegetables are tender and coated with spices, about 30 minutes. (Do not add water!) Sprinkle with fresh coriander leaves to serve

Stir-fried vegetable curry

Stir-fried vegetable curry
Vegetable Curry Ingredients

• 125 g (4½ oz) small pickling onions (unpeeled)
• 125 g (4½ oz) dried mung beans, soaked overnight, drained and rinsed
• 500 ml (17 fl oz) vegetable stock, preferably home-made
• 55 g (2 oz) creamed coconut, crumbled
• 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh root ginger
• 1 large garlic clove, crushed
• 1½ tbsp ground coriander
• 1 tbsp garam masala
• ½ tsp turmeric
• pinch of crushed dried chillies
• 3 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1 tsp coriander seeds, crushed
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp brown mustard seeds
• 250 g (9 oz) carrots, diced
• 250 g (9 oz) parsnips, diced
• 250 g (9 oz) small new potatoes, halved
• 250 g (9 oz) cauliflower, cut into small florets
• 150 g (5½ oz) frozen peas
• 125 g (4½ oz) white cabbage, shredded
• salt and pepper
• chopped fresh coriander to garnish (optional)

Vegetable Curry Instructions

First of all blanch the pickling onions in a large pan of boiling water for 3 minutes. Use a draining spoon to remove them from the pan. Drain well and set aside until cool enough to handle, then peel.

Meanwhile, add the mung beans to the pan of boiling water and boil rapidly for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20–25 minutes or until tender. Drain well and set aside.

And then bring the stock to the boil, add the creamed coconut and stir until it dissolves. Set aside.

Next using a pestle and mortar, pound the ginger and garlic to a paste. Stir in the ground coriander, garam masala, turmeric and chillies until well blended.

Heat a large wok or heavy-based flameproof casserole over a high heat. Add 2 tbsp of the oil. When the oil is hot, add the coriander, cumin and mustard seeds. Fry, stirring constantly, for about 30 seconds or until the seeds give off their aroma and start to crackle. Use a draining spoon to transfer the seeds to kitchen paper on a plate.

Add the remaining 1 tbsp of oil and the spice paste to the wok. Reduce the heat to moderate and stir-fry for about 1 minute. Stir in the carrots, parsnips, potatoes and 2 tbsp water, and stir-fry for a further 2 minutes.
Pour in the coconut stock and bring to the boil, stirring. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the cauliflower florets, peas and pickling onions. Cover and continue simmering for a further 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and bring back to the boil, then boil for about 5 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated and all of the vegetables are just tender.

Add the cabbage, mung beans and fried spice seeds, and stir-fry for just long enough to wilt the cabbage. Add seasoning to taste and serve immediately, sprinkled with chopped fresh coriander, if using...enjoy it !