No onion No garlic : Simple Vegetable Kurma

No onion and no garlic vegetable kurma is a very simple and tasty side dish. Compared to the authentic kurma where all spices are added, there is no compromise on the taste and texture of the kurma. Its a very healthy saathvik food. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

Tomato - 2 medium sized washed and roughly chopped

Mixed vegetables - 2 cups washed and chopped into one inch length

I have used carrots, green beans and potato

Oil for seasoning

Jeera/Cumin - 1 teaspoon

Salt to taste

Coriander leaves for garnishing

Grind the following ingredients into a smooth paste:

3 tablespoons - grated fresh coconut

1 tablespoon - khas khas

2 green chillis (adjust as per taste)

Seeds from 4 to 5 pods of green Elaichi

water quarter cup

Method:

Heat oil in a kadai and add cumin seeds. 

Then, add roughly chopped tomatoes and fry until tomatoes are cooked.

Now add the chopped mixed vegetables and add salt as required.

Pour just enough water and cook until vegetables are tender and water is almost absorbed.

Now mix in the ground paste and adjust consistency with half a cup water if the content is too thick.

Mix well and allow the content to come to a boil.

Turn off heat and garnish with coriander leaves.

Taste and healthy kurma is ready to be served with Set dosa/ Chapathi/ Roti etc.

You will never miss onion or garlic or any other spice in this dish, I bet.

Try this recipe and let me know your feedback.

A vegetable kurma cannot be more simpler than this.

Note: Cauliflower and fresh green peas can also be added to this kurma. 

* In case of adding fresh peas. wash the peas and boil it separately until its cooked and mix it to the kurma in the end.

* In case of adding cauliflower, wash the cauliflower florets, boil in water with a teaspoon salt and half pinch of turmeric. In less than 5 minutes, cauliflower will be perfectly cooked. collect the cauliflower (leaving the impurities and worms if any) and keep it separately and add it to the kurma in the end. 

Cabbage & Green beans Palya

Vegetable combinations make the dish more colorful and healthy. Here, I have used cabbage and beans to make this palya. Fresh peas and/or chopped carrots can be added to this palya. Click here for chow chow and carrot palya.

Ingredients:

Cabbage - 1 medium size

Green beans - 250 gms

Oil for tempering - 1 tablespoon

Mustard seeds - half teaspoon

Whole urud dal - 1 tablespoon

Salt to taste

Turmeric powder - half teaspoon

Hing (Asafoetida powder) - a pinch

Water to cook the vegetables

Coconut - fresh - grated - 2 tablespoon (optional)

Method:

Chop the cabbage discarding the core and outer layers.

Chop the green beans after discarding both the ends.

Heat oil in a kadai and temper the mustard seeds and add urud dal. fry till golden.

Add the chopped vegetables, salt, turmeric powder, hing, and give a quick stir.

Add just a cup of water and cook partially covered. 

When all the moisture is absorbed and the vegetable is completely cooked, turn off heat and add the grated fresh coconut. Healthy palya is ready. Stir well and serve when its room temperature. Serve as an accompaniment for rice items like rasam rice, curd rice, sambar rice etc.

If using fresh peas, wash the peas and boil in water for 10 mins before adding to the palya. Because, it takes a little longer time to cook.

Simple Seeme badanekai / Chow chow and Carrot Palya

Including vegetables in our diet is very important. South Indians make a dry vegetable curry as an accompaniment for rice dishes. Carrots, chow chow (otherwise called seeme badanekai in kannada and bangalore kathirikka in tamil), beans, cabbage are some of the vegetables that are cooked in water to make palya. Palya is a nothing but a dry vegetable side dish. Either individual vegetables are used or in combination. Here I have used chow chow and carrot combo. 

Ingredients:

Chow chow - 2 medium - peeled and diced

Carrots - 3 medium - peeled and diced

Oil for tempering - 1 tablespoon

Mustard seeds - half teaspoon

Whole urud dal - 1 tablespoon

Red chillis - dry - 2 (optional)

Salt to taste

Turmeric powder - half teaspoon

Hing (Asafoetida powder) - a pinch

Water to cook the vegetables

Coconut - fresh - grated - 2 tablespoon (optional)

Method:

Heat oil in a kadai and temper the mustard seeds and add urud dal. fry till golden and add red chillis if adding.

Add the diced vegetables, salt, turmeric powder, hing, and give a quick stir.

Add just a cup of water and cook partially covered. 

When all the moisture is absorbed and the vegetable is completely cooked turn off heat and add the grated fresh coconut. Healthy palya is ready. Stir well and serve when its room temperature. Serve as an accompaniment for rice items like rasam rice, curd rice, sambar rice etc.