Creamy Mixed Vegetables Curry

One of our most favorite Desi dining spots here in Maryland is the Curry Leaf restaurant. It's a fabulous fine dining Indian place which serves a variety of dishes as part of its lunch buffet. The first time we visited Abbie and I were found standing near the buffet table gawking at the many choices of vegetables in front of us. To eat or not to eat, that is the question! We ended up taking bite sized servings of each and were surprised at the variety of flavors. Every single vegetable dish tasted totally unique, each with a character of its own. One of the dishes that we loved the most was a creamy mixed vegetables one. Is it cooked in cream? What is this? How'd they do this? What is this typical Indian flavor?! HOW HOW HOW!!! All of a sudden it was necessary, required, needed to solve the mystery, it was time the secrets of the universe unfolded!

Just kidding, a little bit of exaggerated drama spices everything up right? (See what I did? Spices up ... food entry ... see, see?)

I decided to cook mixed vegetables some time later and, fortunate for us, found THE exact recipe. It is creamy with just the right balance of spices. The vegetables literally melt in your mouth. What I like the most about this recipe is that I get to adjust the consistency of the curry so that when I'm in the mood for a creamy full of curry dish I can enjoy it just as easily as I can a different version with less gravy. It helps me change the way I enjoy this dish so it feels different when I want it to.

This entry belongs to the Veggies label!

Ingredients

• Cumin Seeds (Zeera) - 1 tsp.
• Onion - 1/4 large chopped finely
• Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp.
• Tomatoes - 1 large chopped finely
• Green Chili - according to taste
• Coriander Powder (Pissa Dhanya) - 2 tsp.
• Turmeric Powder (Haldi) - 1/2 tsp.
• Red Chili Powder (Lal Mirach) - 1/4 tsp. or according to taste
• All Spice Powder (Garam Masla Powder) - 1/2 tsp.
• Frozen Mixed Vegetables - 2 1/2 cups chopped
• Water
• Milk - 5 to 6 tbsp.
• Oil
• Cilantro (Hara Dhanya) - for garnish
• Salt - according to taste

Method

Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds to it on low heat. Wait for them to splutter a little and give off their aroma.

When the seeds begin to splutter add the onion on medium-high heat and fry.

Continue frying the onions until they turn transparent. Then add the Ginger Garlic paste and fry till the raw smell disappears.

Add the tomatoes and cook on medium heat. Add all the spices: Coriander powder, Turmeric powder, Red Chili powder, and the All Spices powder. If using green chilies add them at this stage.

Continue cooking the tomatoes, stirring to avoid burning, until they turn pulpy and oil leaves from the sides.

Add in the vegetables and saute for a minute.

Fill water enough to cover the vegetables so that they can cook in it. Keep in mind that frozen vegetables will leave their own water as well.

Cook for about three to four minutes and then add the milk.

Let everything cook with the milk. At this stage it is up to you to decide how much and how thick you want the curry to be. I was planning to leave some thick and creamy curry so I cooked until I had reached my desired consistency.

Once you reach the curry consistency you like taste and adjust salt. Creamy mixed vegetables curry is now ready to be served. Garnish with Cilantro (Hara Dhanya).

Mmmmmm ... oh my ... mmm mmm. It looks just as beautiful and creamy as it is delicious in flavor. The Creamy Mixed Vegetable Curry can be served with boiled or seasoned rice or enjoyed with roti/chapati/paratha. When cooked as a thicker less-gravy dish, it can even be used as a creamy desi addition to a salad. Perrrrrrrrrrrfect!

Happy cooking!