Have you come across dishes like this? Ones which you taste and your mind goes “Why in the world did I not make that before?”

Oh well. This one did just that to me. I have come across this recipe many times before, but as the procedure is lengthy, I never gave it a chance. Then I came across this version in NDTV Food. It seemed simple and so I gave it a try.

I don’t know whether this is an authentic version of Vegetable Kolhapuri or not, but it sure is a tasty version. And as far as authenticity goes, my guess is that every house has their own version for recipes like this – recipes that’s been around for a long time.

People modify, improvise and adjust according to their family preferences. That’s been going on for generations. The end result is that there is no particular recipe that is THE authentic one. You just have some generic guidelines for each recipe. That’s my way of looking at things anyway.

This curry is not much of a looker, but don’t pay much attention to that. It’s famous for being spicy, but I toned it down to suit our taste. Frozen mixed vegetables made this a breeze to make.

So, what are you waiting for? Grab that cutting board and get chopping! Its cooking time, baby.

Recipe source: NDTV food

BM Theme:  Regional food, Maharashtra

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

• 2.5 – 3 cups diced mixed vegetables
• 2 tablespoon yogurt
• 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
• one small onion, grated ( I didn’t use)
• 2 teaspoons oil
• one medium onion, chopped
• salt

Roast and then grind:

• 1″ cinnamon stick
• 2 cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds/jeera
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 red chillies
• 1 teaspoon Kalpasi/Dagad phool,optional
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 1/4 cup dry coconut

Method:

1. Marinate the mixed vegetables with the yogurt, ginger garlic paste, grated onion and salt. You can add some lemon juice as well if you prefer. Keep aside and start working on the ground masala.
2. Dry roast the cinnamon stick, cloves, jeera, pepper corn, red chillies and dagad phool (of using). Once its almost roasted, add the coconut and lightly fry for a couple more minutes.
3. Once cool, grind into a smooth paste without adding too much water.
4. Heat oil in a pan and saute the chopped onion. Once its pink, add the ground paste and let it cook for a minute.
5. Tip in the marinated vegetables and let it come to a boil. If the curry is dry, you can add some water.
6. Cover and cook, mixing intermittently, until the vegetables are done. Taste test and adjust seasoning per preference.
7. Take off the heat and serve with chapati or plain rice. My preference is definitely chapati.

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