Vegetable Stew

Today?s recipe is a vegetable stew that goes very well with Palappam, Vella appam, Idiyappam or even with bread! It can be easily converted into a non veg stew by adding egg, red meat or chicken?. I cannot say this is the traditional way of making stew in Kerala. Traditionally fennel (perum jeerakam) is not added in the stew?. I got this recipe got from my mother in law when I was a newlywed bride?. Mummy used to make stew like this and I followed the same method?. But in my home Amma?s stew was different and was whiter in color?..even amma also mentioned once that her stew is far different from mummy?s?but I never got a chance to write down the recipe from Amma:( :(



Vegetable Stew
Ingredients:
Mixed vegetables -2 cups, cubed (I used Potato, Carrot and French beans? you can even add cauliflower and peas)
Onion 1 big, sliced
Ginger-1 tsp, finely chopped
Garlic- 1 tsp finely chopped
Green Chillies-3-4, sliced
Curry leaves- few
Mustard seeds-1/4 tsp
Garam Masala- 2 Cardamom, 3 cloves, 1? piece Cinnamon, 1 ½ tsp Whole black pepper, ½ Fennel (Perum Jeerakam), crushed together
Tomato-1 big, cubed
Think Coconut Milk- 2 ½ cups
Thick Coconut milk-3/4 cup
*Cashew nut paste-1tbsp
Coconut oil-2tbsp

Method:
Heat oil in a pressure cooker, splutter mustard seeds and add sliced onion, chopped ginger, garlic, green chillies and curry leaves.Sauté for few minutes till the onion becomes soft and translucent. Add crushed garam masala and sauté for a minute. Add cubed vegetables and mix well. Add thin coconut milk and salt and bring it to a boil and add tomato pieces stir and close the lid of the pressure and cook for 5 minutes on medium flame.When the pressure drops, open the cooker and bring the curry to a boil and add thick coconut milk and cashew nut paste. Cook for 5 more minutes and remove from fire. Serve with Palappam, Vella appam, Idiyappam or bread.*Cashew nut paste can be substituted with 1 ½ tsp All purpose flour/ maida.Variations:

For Egg Vegetable Stew: Break 2 or 3 eggs into boiling curry after adding thick coconut milk and simmer for 2-3 minutes, mix well and remove from fire. Tasty Egg Vegetable Stew is ready!

For Beef/ Mutton / Chicken Vegetable Stew: If you are a non veg lover, you can add either beef or mutton or chicken pieces along with vegetables while sautéing and continue cooking method above. Your non veg stew is ready!