Chettinad Vegetable Kurma

My kids absolutely love having kurma with chappatis. I too find it easier to feed the kids as much vegetables as I can when making them. I try out many kurmas changing the ingredients that I use usually to make them. You get varied taste by this and this Kurma is my absolute favorite and also my Athamma?s (MIL) among the side dishes that I make which I learned from a karaikudi Aachi who was her neighbour.







You?ll need:





Boiled vegetables- 2 cups (I used cauliflower, carrots, peas and beans)

Poppy seed (khus-khus) - 2 tbsp



Cashew nuts- Broken in small pieces- 1 tbsp



Onions ? 1 (large) chopped



tomatoes- 2 (Large) chopped



Curry leaves- 1 sprig



Turmeric powder- ½ tsp



Red chilli powder- ½ tsp



Milk- 1cup



Oil- 2 tbsp



salt- to taste





For the special chettinad masala:



Freshly grated coconut-1/2 cup



Coriander seeds- 1 tsp



Cumin seeds- ½ tsp



Whole red chillies - 3



Cardamom - 3



Fennel seeds - 1 tsp



Cloves - 2



Cinnamon ? 1 inch piece



Oil- 1 tbspn





Method:





Heat oil in a pan and fry the ingredients mentioned under chettinad masala separately one by one till you get an aroma. Keep aside to cool. Soak the poppy seeds and cashew nuts in hot water. Drain and add it to the roasted ingredients. Grind to a smooth paste.



Heat the remaining oil in a pan. Add the curry leaves and onions. Saute for few minutes till the onion turns pink and then add the tomatoes, ground paste, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and salt.





Cook till tomatoes blend well with the masala and oil separates on the sides. Mix well and add one cup of water, boiled vegetables and milk. Cover and simmer for a few minutes. Serve hot. This goes well with chappatis and pulao.