Kerala-Style Vegetable Kurma

Ingredients

• Potato - 1 whole
• Green peas - 1/4 cup
• Cauliflower - 1/2 cup
• Carrot - 1/2 cup
• French beans - 1/2 cup
• Onion - 1/2 cup
• Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tsp
• Green chilies - 2 whole
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Red chili powder - 1 tsp
• Coriander powder - 2 tsp
• Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
• Tomato puree - 2 tbsp
• Tomato - 1 whole
• Bay leaves - 2 whole
• Oil - 3 tbsp
• Salt, to taste
• Coriander leaves, for garnish
• Grated coconut - 1/4 cup
• Cashew nuts - 6 whole
• Poppy seeds (kus kus) - 1 tsp
• Fennel seeds (perum jeerakam) - 1 tsp

Instructions

1. 1Prepare the vegetables: peel the potato and carrot, cut the potato and carrot into cubes, separate the cauliflower into florets, trim and cut the French beans, and cube the tomato; set everything aside for steaming or cooking.
2. 2Bring a pot of water to a boil, cook the green peas until tender, then drain and keep them aside while you steam the remaining vegetables until just tender but not mushy.
3. 3Soak the cashew nuts and fennel seeds in warm water for 1 hour, and while they are soaking wash the poppy seeds thoroughly in cold water and drain.
4. 4Drain the soaked cashews and fennel seeds and grind them with the grated coconut and drained poppy seeds to a smooth, fine paste.
5. 5Heat the oil in a wide pan over medium heat, add the bay leaves, then add the chopped onion, ginger-garlic paste and chopped green chilies and sauté until the onions are golden brown and fragrant.
6. 6Mix the turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder and garam masala powder with a little water to make a slurry and add it to the pan, then fry the spices for 1 minute so they bloom and become aromatic.
7. 7Stir in the tomato puree, the tomato cubes and the coconut-cashew paste, then cook on medium flame, stirring regularly, until the oil separates from the masala and the mixture smells rich and cooked through.
8. 8Pour in 2 cups of warm water, stir to combine, cover the pan and cook until the gravy thickens to a creamy consistency.
9. 9Add the steamed vegetables and the boiled peas to the gravy, season with salt, then simmer on low flame for 2-3 minutes so the flavors marry and everything is heated through.
10. 10Turn off the heat, garnish with coriander leaves, and give the kurma a final gentle stir.
11. 11Serve the vegetable kurma warm with appam, roti, or steamed rice; this is optional but lovely for a traditional Kerala-style meal.