Kerala vegetable stew

Vegitable stew is made from a mixture of vegetables such as potato, carrot, green peas, French beans etc. It is a good choice for both breakfast and dinner, as a side dish for idiyappam, appam, chappathi and pathiri. It is prepared in rich and creamy coconut milk and cashew paste. so without doubt we can say that, it is a mouth watering dish with all authentic kerala flavours.

Ingredients:

Whole spices: Cinnamon - 1 stick

Cardamom - 3 Nos

Cloves - 3 Nos

Bay leaves - 2 Nos

Fennel seeds - 1 teaspoon

Peppercorns - 1/2 teaspoon

Onion sliced - 1 small

Shallots sliced - 1/2 cup ( standard measurement cup)

Ginger - a medium size crushed

Garlic - 5 cloves crushed

Green chillies - 6 to 7 Nos

Curry leaves - 2 springs

Potato - 1 large diced

Carrot diced - 1 medium

Green peas soaked - 1/2 cup ( standard measurement cup)

French beans - 6 Nos

Pepper powder - 1 teaspoon

Garam masala - 1 teaspoon

Salt to taste

Thin coconut milk - 1 3/4 to 2 Cup ( standard measurement cup)

Thick coconut milk - 1 1/4 cup ( standard measurement cup)

Cashew nut paste from 1/4 cup soaked cashews

coconut oil - 2 1/2 tablespoon for sautéing

Ghee - 1 1/2 tablespoon for seasoning

Cashew nut and Raisins for garnishing

Directions to make:

1. In a pressure cooker heat 2 and 1/2 table spoon of coconut oil. Add the whole spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, bay leaves, fennel seeds, cloves and peppercorns and stir it for a few seconds.

2. Secondly, add the sliced onion, shallots, ginger crushed, Garlic crushed,Green chillies and curry leaves. Saute it, till the raw smell goes.

3. After that turn the flame to low and add pepper powder, salt and 1/2 of garam masala . Saute it again for few minutes.

4. Then, add the diced vegetables such as potato, carrot, green peas and french beans. Mix everything well. Stir and saute this for 2 to 3 minutes on medium flame.

5. Pour 1 3/4 to 2 cups of thin coconut milk into the vegetable mix and combine well. Close the lid of pressure cooker and cook it up to 3 whistles( till the veggies perfectly cooked).Allow it to cool down.

6. After the pressure is completely gone, open the lid and slightly mash the veggies. Now add 1/2 of remaining garam masala and the 1 1/4 cup of thick coconut milk with cashew nut paste and stir well. In this stage check the salt and consistency of the curry, add salt and water if required. When the curry is started to boiling switch off the flame.

7. Heat a little ghee in a small pan and fry the cashews and raisins.Pour this over the curry.

8. Yummy and delicious vegetable stew is ready to serve.