Veg Jalfrezi

Little did I know, that the mixed vegetable subzi that I usually make at home is indeed the very famous and popular veg jalfrezi 🙂 As always, the other day when I was browsing the internet and going through some recipes, I realised that sauteed vegetables in a mild tangy tomato gravy us indeed the jalfrezi. It’s a dish which has originated in the Indian subcontinent. It’s a curry made with onions, bell peppers and tomatoes with

either meat, fish or veggies in it.

According to wiki: Jalfrezi recipes appeared in cookbooks of British India as a way of using up left-overs by frying them with chili and onion. This English-language usage derived from the colloquial Bengali word jhāl porhezī: in Bengali, jhāl means spicy food; porhezi comes from the Persian word, parhezī means suitable for a diet. According to a survey in 2011, jalfrezi was rated the most popular dish in UK Indian and broader South Asian restaurants.

Few things that you need to keep in mind while making this dish are: cut the vegetables with uniform thickness and do not overcook them. This is a mildly spiced dish, so the taste of each vegetable is left intact. You can add or omit any vegetable of your choice. I have omitted green peas as Neha doesn’t like it 🙂

Ingredients:

• Carrot 1
• Beans 7-8
• Green peas 2-3 tbsp
• Fresh corn kernels 2-3 tbsp
• Cabbage a small piece
• Cauliflower few florets
• Bell peppers quarter of a big one
• Paneer 100 gm
• Onion 1 big
• Ginger 1.5 inch piece
• Garlic 3-4 cloves
• Green chilies 1-2
• Salt to taste
• Turmeric powder 3/4 tsp
• Red chili powder 1.5 tsp
• Coriander powder 2 tsp
• Garam masala 1/2 tsp
• Cumin seeds 1 tsp
• Cumin powder 1 tsp
• Coriander leaves for garnish
• Oil 2 tbsp
• Kasuri methi 1-2 tsp

Method:

• Cut the carrot, beans, bell peppers, cabbage and paneer into two inch long pieces. Separate the cauliflower into medium size florets.

• Chop the onion, ginger, garlic and tomatoes into small pieces.

• Blanch the carrot, beans, green peas, fresh corn and cauliflower in salted water for 5-6 minutes. Drain and transfer it into cold water.

• Heat some oil and saute cabbage and bell peppers at high flame for 3-4 minutes. Repeat it with the paneer pieces. Soak the paneer in some warm water.

• Now heat the remaining oil and add the cumin seeds. When they are tempered, add the finely chopped onion, ginger and garlic.

• When they turn translucent, add the chopped tomatoes and cook for two minutes.

• Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder and cumin powder. Cook till the mixture becomes a mushy paste.

• Now add around one fourth cup of water (you can use the water used to blanch the vegetables) and salt to taste. Add tomato sauce and mix well.

• Further more, add the blanched veggies and cook for 3-4 minutes.

• Now add the sauteed veggies and toss gently.

• Sprinkle garam masala and crushed kasuri methi leaves.

• Finally, garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with rotis, phulkas, naan or rice.

• You may use this as a stuffing for your rolls or wraps 🙂