Wednesday, April 9, 2008

MIXED VEG - SPECIAL

There are some things that you would not be regularly cooking, they are going to be a special treat for a special time. Things that would be on the richer side of calories....but they really make for a treat at times, or maybe just like that you would like to prepare the dish. I call this dish "special" coz I make it rarely & it does taste yumm, but I would rather restrict myself & Rajeev to such a treat once in a while.

I made this recently to take over to a cousin's house as a pool-in, coz his wife was making the rest of the food. It turned out really good - how wouldnt it have....anything fried n smothered in cream would taste awesome - wont it??? Maybe you could try it for yourself.



Ing
1/2 cauliflower - cut into florets
4 carrots - scraped & slit into two & diced into 1 inch pcs
1/4 cup - green peas
3 potatoes - scraped & chopped into fingers
100 gms - paneer
8/10 stalks of green beans
1 capsicum - diced into cubes
1/2 tspn - jeera / cumin seeds
4 tbpn - cream
4 tbspn - thick curd
1/4 tspn - turmeric / haldi powder
1 tspn - garam masala powder
1 tspn - dhaniya powder
1/2 tspn - red chilli powder
3/4 onions - finely chopped legthwise
3/4 tomatoes
4/5 flakes of garlic
1/2 inch ginger
4 cloves
1/2 inch pcs of cinnamon broken
2 pods of cardamom - crushed

Method -
In a wok heat some oil for deep frying.
When first add the cauliflower florets & fry them - remove them on a tissue when done
next add the potatoes & fry them till done - remove on a tissue
Next add the carrots & take remove them on a tissue when done.
Boil the beans & the pease together (you can use the microwave to retain the colour)
Take another pan & take some oil in it
Add the khada garam masala i..e, the cinnamon, cloves, jeera & the cardamom
Add the onions and fry till pinkish brown
Meanwhile puree the tomatoes, garlic & ginger
Add this into the pan & fry till the oil separates
Add the turmeric & fry
Add the red chilli powder, garam masala, corriander & fry well
Now add the cream & fry till it is well blended
Add the curd & again fry till well blended
Now add the chopped capsicum & some salt
Close the lid & cook till capsicum is done - stirring in between
Once this is thru, add the fried cauliflower, potatoes & carrots along with the beans, peas & the diced paneer cubes.
Mix everything well with a light hand, to ensure that the veggies retain their shape & dont get mashed up.
Close the lid & let cook for a minute or two.
Garnish with corriander leaves

This goes very well with parathas, chappatis or as a side dish to rice.

Do try this "special" dish & let me know.