Vegetable Kolhapuri

Veg Kolhapuri in Marathi

Time: 40 minutes
Serves: 4 Persons

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Carrot, medium cubes
3/4 cup potato, medium cubes (Peel and then cut)
1/2 cup Cauliflower, medium florets (I used frozen) (Tip)
1/2 cup Green peas, (I used frozen)
1/4 cup french beans, 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1 cup tomato, finely chopped
1/2 inch ginger, finely chopped
4 to 6 big garlic cloves
1 to 1.5 tbsp Kashmiri red chili powder (Tip 3 and 5)
2 tsp red chili powder (cayenne)
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
6 tbsp oil
2 tbsp Kolhapuri Masala
2 tbsp fried cashewnuts
other spices:
1/4 tsp cardamom powder
2 pinches clove powder
1/2 tbsp fennel seeds powder (Saunf)
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
1 pinch nutmeg powder
salt to taste

Method:
1) Heat 2 tbsp oil in a kadai. Saute ginger garlic. Add onion and fry till color changes to pink. Add red chili powder and tomato. Sprinkle some salt and cook till tomato becomes mushy. Remove kadai from heat and let this mixture cool down. Then grind to a fine puree by adding some water.
2) Use the same kadai and heat around 3 tbsp oil. Keep the flame on medium. Add turmeric and 1/2 tsp kashmiri red chili powder. Immediately add potato and french beans. Mix well and cook covered for 2-3 minutes. Stir couple of times in between to prevent burning. Now turn the heat from medium to high. Add onion-tomato puree. Stir well and add some water (about 1/2 cup)
3) Once gravy starts boiling, add kolhapuri masala, fennel seeds powder, clove powder, cinnamon powder, cardamom powder, and salt to taste. Also, add carrots, peas and cauliflower. Cover the kadai and simmer over medium heat for atleast 10 minutes or till veggies get cooked.
In a small tadka pan, heat 1 tbsp oil. Add 1 tbsp kashmiri red chili powder and immediately (Tip) pour it over the prepared vegetable curry.
Stir well and serve hot. Garnish with fried cashews.

Tips:
1) This curry should be enough spicy. However, adjust the amount of red chili powder to give required heat.
2) Kashmiri Red chili powder gives very nice bright red color to the curry. That's why, Kashmiri chili powder has been used for color and normal red chili powder (cayenne) has been used for spiciness.
3) Tadka given at the end is completely optional. This tadka gives reddish shimmery touch to the dish. Another important thing is after adding Kashmiri chili powder to hot oil, pour this tadka immediately. Otherwise chili powder will get burn.
4) Spices given under 'other spices' look very little in quantity but collectively they give light pleasant flavor to the curry. According to preference, adjust the amount of spices.
5) Kashmiri red chili powder gives nice bright red color and flavor to the curry. If its unavailable, use pinch of edible red color.