We South Indians bank on rice a lot. In my home, it appears in our menu right from breakfast to snacks to lunch to dinner. If by some chance there is a dearth of rice in this planet, we are in big trouble. Not big trouble, but BIG BIG BIG trouble.

So to prepare ourselves in case of this eventuality, we make rotis every now and then. The problem with the rotis is always the side dish. The man cannot stomach rotis without a gravy side dish to go with.

Serve a dry side dish with rotis and if you look close, you might actually see tears from the man’s eyes. Serve it with dal and you will see a different disappointed pained expression.

But now, with this new-found single formula ‘one gravy-multi curry’ recipe, the man is safe.

You can replace the mixed veggies with almost any combination of veggies and it still tastes great. It’s low-fat as well. And the best part is that for once in my life, I can actually remember the recipe while cooking and don’t have to come running to the laptop every other minute!

Happy man. Happy me. Happy meal!

(Let’s not talk about the food-allergic kid and spoil it all, OK?)

Check out another version of Mixed Vegetable Curry here.

Recipe Source: My friend Swapna

Serves : about 4

Ingredients:

• Mixed Vegetables          :           2 cups, cooked (pressure cooked, steamed or microwaved)*
• Onion                                  :           1 big, sliced
• Tomato                              :           1 big, puréed
• Ginger garlic paste        :           2 tsp
• Coriander powder         :           2 tsp
• Chilli powder                   :           1 tsp
• Turmeric powder          :           1/2 tsp
• Kasuri methi                    :           1 good pinch, optional
• Garam masala                  :          1/2 tsp or per taste
• Coriander leaves            :           2 tbsp, chopped
• Water                                  :          1/2 cup – 1 cup, depending on the consistency required
• Oil                                         :          1 tsp (can be skipped for a fat-free version)
• Salt

*Mixed vegetables : Here I have used a mix of carrot, beans, green peas, cauliflower and potatoes. This can be replaced by cooked chana, cooked rajma (red kidney beans), soaked and squeezed soya chunks or any mix of vegetables. The taste is different for each of the curries, though the basic method is same.

Method:

  

Boil the sliced onions on stove top or microwave. Once they are cooked, let it cool. Grind and keep aside.

Heat 1 tsp oil. Add the puréed tomatoes and ginger garlic paste. If you are using freshly minced ginger-garlic then sauté it in oil for a minute before adding the tomato purée. Once the purée boils, add all the spice powders except garam masala (coriander powder, chilli powder, turmeric powder and kasuri methi as well).

Keep cooking until the tomato mix reduces in size and most of the liquid has evaporated. If you have used more oil, you might have seen the oil oozing out at this stage.

Add the cooked/steamed vegetables, salt and about half a cup of water.  Instead of mixed vegetables, you can add cooked chana, rajma, potatoes and peas…almost anything. You might have to adjust the quantity of water according to the consistency desired. Start with half a cup and then add more, as required. I used the water in which the vegetables were pressure cooked.

Once the curry comes to a boil, add the onion paste. Mix well. Add the coriander leaves, cover and let it cook for 3-5 minutes.

Cook until the desired consistency is reached. Add the garam masala. Do a taste test, adjust the seasoning and cook for a minute or two. Take off the heat, add some more coriander leaves, cover and keep aside.

Serve with the Indian bread of your choice.

Note:

• The grinding of onions and tomatoes ensure that the gravy is smooth and not chunky.
• Boiling of the onion takes off the raw smell and makes it low fat as well.