Mixed vegetable Kurma

Certain events, smells, food etc in life bring back great memories.

One such thing for me is vegetable kurma! Growing up in a very orthodox tambram household eating kurma/ kuruma was out of question, even if it was full of vegetables. 

The strong garlic flavored kurma s served with parottas were a treat if we went to eat out, which we rarely did too!

I first tasted a very flavorful kurma at my dear friend Aarthi's house in Brooklyn, NYC! Yes, you read that correct,of all the places , brooklyn. We both were residents and she invited my family for dinner at her place. She served kurma with ghee rice and I still recall that wonderful aroma and taste of the food served by Aarthi.

I have modified it a little to my ease and here I present with the wonderful vegetable Kurma.
My MIL made idiyappams ( recipe to follow soon) and we devoured them with this kurma.

Get Ready ( serves 6- 8 people)

• 3 cups mixed frozen vegetables
• 1 large potato peeled and diced
• 1 large onion sliced ( i used some left over red and white onions)
• 1 large tomato
• 1 bay leaf
• 1-2 cloves
• 1 cardamom
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp salt or to taste

 To grind

• 2 green chillies ( more if you need hot)
• 2 inch piece ginger peeled and chopped
• 1 tsp khus khus/ kasa kasa/ poppy seeds
• 1 tbsp cashews 9 soak the kasa kasa and cashews in little water)
• 1 tbsp saunf/ sombu
• 2 cloves of garlic ( optional) i did not use garlic
• 1/3 cup grated coconut

Go

• Soak the kasa kasa cashews for 20 mins. Gind it with coconut, saunf, green chilli and ginger and garlic
•  ( optional) into a fine paste with little water. keep aside
• in a  samll pressure cooker, add oil and add the bay leaves, cloves, cardamom and fry for few seconds.
• When fragrant, add the onions and saute till translucent.
• Add the tomatoes and fry for a few mins.
• Add the mixed veggies, potato and  saute for 1-2 mins.
• Add the ground coconut paste, water just barely enough to cover the vegetables and salt to taste.
• Cover the cooker and pressure cook for 1 whistle. simmer for 7-10 mins and turn the heat off.

Serve hot with idiyappam, aapam, chappathi or puttu.