Tri colour gravy - Easy mixed vegetable kurma using readymade coconut milk

I wish all my blog readers advance Independence day wishes. Jai Hind !!

Every Independence day, I try exhibit my patriotism by cooking something that is tri colour - saffron, white and green. I would like to share one of those recipes to all my patriotic readers. I am posting this recipe a couple of days before the Independence day, as you can buy the necessary ingredients in advance if you are going to try this recipe.

This is a simple, quick and delicious kurma that's totally vegan. This is a very versatile gravy, so, depending upon the quantity of kurma needed, you can adjust the quantity and choice of vegetables as per your taste. 

Ingredients:

Coconut milk - 200 ml

(I used  one 200 ml carton - Dabur coconut milk)

Mixed vegetables - 2 to 2 and half cups

---saffron colour - diced Carrots

---white colour - diced Potatoes and/or Cauliflower florets

---green colour - Green peas and/or chopped Green beans

Medium red onion - 2 chopped (optional)

ginger garlic paste - 1 tablespoon (optional)

Ripe red tomatoes - 2 medium chopped (optional)

Oil for seasoning - 1 tablespoon refined oil

Spices - 1 bay leaf, 1 inch cinnamon stick, 4 cloves, seeds from 2 green 

cardamom

Green chillies - 2 if it is too spicy - vertically slit

adjust spice level as per your taste

Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon

Salt as required

Water as required

Coriander leaves chopped - for garnish

Method:

1. Wash the cauliflower florets and add them in boiling water and cook for 4 to 5 minutes and turn off heat. drain water and keep it separately.

2. Heat oil in a non stick kadai. Temper the cumin seeds and add bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom seeds, cloves, green chillies and fry for a minute.

3. Add onions and fry till its translucent and add tomato and cook for a couple of minutes. Add ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute. Skip onion or tomato or ginger garlic paste if you are not using. 

4. Now add the mixed vegetables except cauliflower florets and fill with water to just cover the vegetables and add required amount of salt and cook closed until the vegetables are tender.

5. Just when the vegetables are cooked, toss in the cauliflower florets and give a quick stir.

6. Now stir in the coconut milk and wait till one boil and turn off heat. Garnish with coriander leaves.

7. Serve hot with Appam / Roti / Phulka / Chapathi / Parotta / Set dosa or Basmathi rice that's cooked in coconut milk.

Alternative method:

Cashewnut paste can be added to the gravy for a rich flavour. Grind a handful of cashewnuts to a smooth paste using little water and add to the gravy just when the vegetables are well cooked. Then, pour the coconut milk. Cashewnut paste and Coconut milk reduces the spice level. So, adjust the green chillies accordingly. 

The other tri colour recipe in this blog is Capsicum Paneer Tikka