How to Cook Indian Vegetarian Food

Indian Spices

Colorfully blended with rich flavors, fragrant seasonings and exotic spices, South India cuisine offers a myriad of vegetarian dishes. Coconut or lemon Basmati rice may be surrounded by curries made with yogurt or ghee, daal (a dish with legumes), vegetables (eggplant, peppers, peas and green beans) and flat breads, naan or chapati. Side dishes might include dahi (strained yoghurt) or raita (seasoned yogurt). It's a cuisine with many options. Learn the basics of a curry dish and you'll be ready to experiment with more soon.

Things You'll Need

• 3 tbsp. coconut oil
• 1 medium onion, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
• 1 tbsp. garam masala, purchased or homemade
• ¼ tsp. turmeric
• 1 tbsp. cumin seeds
• 3 large garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 2 tsp. minced fresh ginger (about 2 ounces)
• 1/2 serrano chile or jalapeño, seeded, chopped
• 2 tbsp. tomato paste
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• ½ tsp jaggery or 1 tsp. (packed) golden brown sugar
• ½ lime, cut into quarters
• 2 whole green cardamom pods
• 1 lb. sweet potatoes (yams), peeled, cut into 1-inch cubes
• Small head of cauliflower, cut into 1-inch florets (2 to 4 cups)
• 1 1/4 cups finely grated unsweetened coconut
• 2 large carrots, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch rounds
• 1 cup garden peas
• ½ cup green lentils, sorted and rinsed
• Freshly ground black pepper and sea salt
• 4 oz. baby spinach leaves (optional)
• 1 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 ½ cups long grain basmati rice
• (1) 14 oz. can coconut milk
• ¼ cup water
• 3 English cucumbers (seedless and unwaxed), diced
• 1 cup Fage greek-style yoghurt
• Minced red onion, to taste
• 1 tbsp. lime juice
• ¼ tsp. jaggery
• ½ tsp. ground cumin
• 1 ½ tsp. fresh mint, chopped
• Store-bought naan

Instructions

1. Start with the curry. Heat coconut oil in a medium-sized skillet over medium heat. Add onion, garam masala, turmeric and cumin seeds. Cook for about 10 seconds until aromatic, stirring often. Add garlic, ginger and chile. Sauté until garlic and onion are slightly browned. Add tomato paste. Transfer to a food processor. Puree until paste forms. Transfer paste back to the skillet. Add broth, sugar, lime and cardamom pods. Simmer 10 minutes, stirring often. Cover and set aside.

2. Proceed with the rice. Clean and soak rice for 30 minutes. Drain and rinse rice thoroughly until water runs clear to remove any residual starch. Bring coconut milk and water to a boil in a large pot. Add rice. Bring to a boil again. Reduce heat and cover. Simmer about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Check the consistency of the rice. Add small amounts of boiling water as needed. Keep rice covered until curry is ready to serve.

3. Finish the curry. Combine the lentils and vegetable broth in a large saucepan. Add cooled paste mixture (from Step 1). Bring to a boil. Cover and cook on low heat until lentils are soft and sauce has thickened, about 30 minutes. Add sweet potatoes, cauliflower, coconut, carrots and peas. Cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 10 to 20 minutes more. Stir occasionally. In the last minute, add spinach leaves. Cook until wilted. Remove curry from heat.

4. Sprinkle the curry with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Discard lime quarters and cardamom. Transfer cooked rice to serving dish. Top with curry. Garnish with cilantro. Serve with fresh naan, a round flatbread and the cucumber salad below.

5. Prepare an Indian cucumber salad (raita) for a cooling side dish. Place yogurt in a medium-sized bowl. Combine with red onion, lime juice, sugar and cumin. Stir until well blended. Add cucumbers and salt to taste. Cover and refrigerate until serving time.

Tips & Warnings

• Mix curry sauce a day or 2 in advance. Store garam masala in a cool, dry place for up to 6 months. Break off pieces of naan while warm and scoop up curry.

• Curry, annotated as "hot" by Indian standards, may be intolerable for some Westerners.

References

• International Vegetarian Union
• Indian Food
• Curry Recipe: Mango Rasayan

Resources

• Indian Mirror