Vegetarian Indian Bliss

chris, 1, 2, 3

Welcome to the Gourmet Indian Series. Today we bring you the vegetarian treat, Vegetable Korma.

Ingredients: 3/4 cup each of chopped cabbage/beans/carrots/potatoes and cauliflower, 1 small onion sliced, 2-3 tbsp. ghee (clarified butter), salt to taste, coriander leaves for garnish, Gravy: (blend the following into a very smooth paste), 1/2 a coconut shredded, 1 small onion, 5-6 flakes garlic, 1' piece ginger, 2 tbsp. curd (plain yoghurt), 1/2 tsp. poppy seeds, 1 tsp. cumin seeds, 1 tsp. coriander seeds, 3 green chillies, 2 dry red chillies, 2-3 peppercorns, 1/2 tsp. saunf (fennel), 1 small stick cinammon, 1 cardammom, 2-3 cloves, 1 tbsp. cashewnuts, 1 small tomato, 2 tsp. thick tamarind juice or 2 tsp lemon juice

Method: 1. Steam the vegetables till they are about half done. Remove and set aside. 2. Heat the ghee and fry the sliced onion till it starts changing color. 3. Now add the blended masala and bhunna(fry) till the oil starts leaving the sides of the masala. This will take a minimum of 15 minutes. Even if the masala sticks to the bottom of the pan, don't worry. The more the masala fries, the better the dish will taste. If the masala starts sticking to the pan, lower the heat and sprinkle a little water and continue frying, stirring continously. 4. When the masala is fried well and turns aromatic, add the half cooked vegetables and salt to taste. 5. Add some water to get a gravy. Mix well. 6. Put it back on the stove and bring it to a boil on low heat. The vegetables should be done by now. Remove from heat. 7. Garnish with coriander leaves. serve hot with chapatis or plain rice. BON APÉTIT.....