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Steamed
Vegetable Dishes
In India we have a large repertoire of steamed, moist vegetables.
Subtly spiced, and seasoned Indian vegetables come alive with color, taste and
aroma. We serve them with griddle hot chappatis and rice along with dals and
yogurt.
The vegetables are generally seasoned then stir-fried and then steamed in
their natural juices. Vegetables may also be pan fried or deep-fried and then cooked
with other vegetables to add texture dimension to the dish. Below are
vegetable dishes that are popular in most Indian homes.
Hint: Keep the spices ready in a plate for quick use until you are
comfortable with the recipes. |
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Vegetables
Gujarati Style or Shak
Ingredients:
Choose
from 1lb fresh green beans cut into 1 inch lengths or any other vegetable like 1 package
coleslaw or cauliflower florets or carrots and peas.
4 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tbsp. black mustard seed
4 cloves garlic (peeled & finely chopped)
A few thin strips of fresh ginger
1 hot red dried chili (crushed)
1 tsp. salt
˝ tsp. sweetened coconut flakes
black pepper to taste |
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Method:
1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium flame. When
hot put in the mustard seeds. As soon as they begin to pop add the garlic/ginger and stir
until lightly brown. Add the crushed red chili and stir for a few seconds. Add the green
beans, salt and sweet coconut. Stir to mix.
2. Turn heat to medium/low. Add 1/2 cup water. Stir and cover the beans for
7-8 mins until they have absorbed the spiced flavors.
3. Add the black pepper, mix and serve. |
Vegetables
North Indian Style or Subzi
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Ingredients:
Choose from 1lb fresh green beans cut into 1 inch lengths or any
other vegetable like cauliflower florets, potatoes or carrots and peas.
1" thick piece of ginger chopped
4 cloves garlic minced
1 cup Water
4 tbsp. Vegetable oil
3 tsp. Whole cumin seeds
2 tsp. Ground coriander seeds
2 medium Tomatoes, peeled (put tomatoes in very hot water for a few seconds, peel
off the skin and finely chop.)
Salt and pepper to taste
3 tbsp. Lemon juice (or to taste) |
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Method:
1.Heat the oil in a wide, heavy saucepan over a medium flame.
When hot, put in the cumin seeds. Stir for half a minute. Pour in the ginger-garlic. Stir
and cook for about two minutes. Put in the coriander and stir a few times. Put in the
chopped tomatoes. Stir and cook for 2 minutes while mashing the tomato pieces with the
back of a slotted spoon.
2. Put in the vegetables and salt and one cup of water and simmer them.
Cover, turn heat to low and cook for 8-10 minutes or until the beans are tender and
steamed and the water has been absorbed.
3. Remove the cover. Add the lemon juice and a generous amounts of freshly
ground pepper. Garnish with cilantro. |
Vegetables
South Indian Style or Poriyals
Ingredients:
Choose from 1lb fresh green beans cut into 1 inch lengths or any
other vegetable like 1 package coleslaw or cauliflower florets or carrots and peas.
2 tablespoons fresh grated coconut or 2 tablespoons flaked coconut
salt to taste
2 tablespoon water
Seasonings
2 teaspoon oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon black gram dal (washed urad dal), picked over and rinsed
1 teaspoon Bengal gram dal (yellow split peas, chana dal), picked over and rinsed
1 red chilli (chili pepper), halved
1/2 teaspoon asafoetida powder
a few curry leaves |
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Method
Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a heavy saucepan. Add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, black gram
dal, halved red chilli, asafoetida powder, and a few curry leaves.
When the mustard seeds splutter, add the chopped beans, salt to taste, and
2 tablespoons water. Cover saucepan with a lid and simmer over a low heat until the beans
are tender. Add the grated coconut. Mix thoroughly.
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Cauliflower Potato dry Curry or Allu Gobi
Ingredients:
1 cauliflower cut in florets
3/4 tsp. turmeric
4 potatoes peeled and cubed
1 tsp. red Chili Powder
1/4 c Oil
3 tomatoes chopped
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tsp. garam Masala Ginger, fresh,
1" 2 tsp. coriander powder
3 garlic cloves
Salt and lime juice to taste. |
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Method:
1. Heat oil and sauté cumin seeds for about a minute. Add
garlic and ginger, stir and add potatoes.
2. Sauté the potatoes and then add turmeric, coriander powder and chili
powder, and sauté again. Add tomatoes and simmer for about 5 minutes.
3. Add cauliflower and garam masala and heat for about a minute.
4. Lower heat, cover and let simmer for about 15 minutes. The vegetable dish
should be steamed through and the potatoes and cauliflower should be soft and succulent
after having soaked up the spices.
5. Garnish with cilantro and season with a twist of fresh lime juice.
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Okra
or Bhindi
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Ingredients:
1 lb. okra
2 small Onions sliced
2 small Tomatoes, chopped
1/4 t Turmeric
Salt and chili red pepper to taste (optional)
Oil for frying |
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Method:
1. Wash the okra and dry it thoroughly. Cut off the heads
and cut into small circles.
2. Pan fry or deep fry the okra until brown. Remove from oil and set aside.
3. In a pan heat a teaspoon of oil and add onions and turmeric and fry until
golden brown.
4. Add the fried okra, salt, pepper, and tomatoes. Cover and let cook on low
for 15 minutes. Garnish with a dollop of yogurt (optional) |
Browned
Potatoes or Khasta Allu
Ingredients:
7 medium-sized potatoes or 20 - 1 inch size baby potatoes, boiled in their jackets and
cold, then peeled and cubed or left whole if they are baby potatoes.
10 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/8 teaspoon ground asafetida
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
1 tbsp. corriander powder
12 whole fenugreek seeds
3 whole dried hot red peppers
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 1/2 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
1 tablespoon lemon/lime juice |
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Method:
In a wok, karhai, or 12" pan, heat the oil over medium
flame. When very hot, put in first the asafetida, 5 seconds later the cumin seeds, then
the mustard seeds and they will start popping and sizzling. Quickly add the red peppers
and corriander powder. As soon as the red peppers swell and darken, add the diced
potatoes. Fry for 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes are browned unevenly. They will brown
on the sides and this is part of the process of cooking this dish. Keep scraping the
potatoes off the sies of the wok and mixing the potatoes so as to coat all the potatoes
with the spices and to make them crusty on the outside. The potatoes should be soft
inside but crusty and brown outside. Squeeze lemon/lime juice over potatoes, and add
the salt. Garnish with cilantro.
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