This veg diwani handi recipe is a rich, creamy curry made with mixed vegetables.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 30 minutes
  • Cook time: 40 minutes
  • Total time: 70 minutes
  • Yield: 3
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: North Indian

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoon cashews (or about 20 to 22 cashews)
  • ½ cup hot water (or 125 ml - for soaking)
  • 3 tablespoon water (for blending - you can also use the soaked water instead of plain water)
  • ¼ or ⅓ cup chopped carrots (or about 2 small or 1 medium carrot)
  • ¼ or ½ cup chopped french beans (or about 8 to 10 french beans)
  • ¼ or ⅓ cup chopped potatoes (or about 1 medium potato)
  • ¼ or ⅓ cup green peas, (fresh or frozen)
  • ¼ cup corn kernels (- optional)
  • ¼ or ⅓ cup chopped cauliflower
  • ¼ or ⅓ cup sliced mushrooms (or 6 to 8 button mushrooms (optional) * for cooking mushrooms check notes)
  • ¼ cup paneer ((cubed), Indian cottage cheese - optional)
  • 1 medium onion (or about ½ cup finely chopped onion)
  • 1 medium tomato (or about ½ cup finely chopped tomatoes)
  • 3 to 4 medium garlic + ½ inch ginger (- crushed to a paste or 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste (adrak lahsun ka paste))
  • 1 teaspoon chopped coriander leaves ((cilantro leaves))
  • 1 teaspoon chopped mint leaves
  • 1 to 2 green chilies, (slit or sliced (hari mirch))
  • 1 cup water (or 250 ml water)
  • 3 tablespoon low fat cream (- 25% to 35% fat)
  • 1 tablespoon curd (- optional (yogurt))
  • ½ teaspoon red chili powder
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • ¼ teaspoon garam masala
  • ½ to ¾ teaspoon coriander powder ((ground coriander))
  • ½ teaspoon kasuri methi (- crushed (dry fenugreek leaves))
  • 1 pinch nutmeg powder (or grated nutmeg)
  • 2 tablespoon butter
  • salt as required
  • sugar as required (- you can add about ½ teaspoon of sugar or as per your taste, (optional))
  • 1 small to medium tej patta ((indian bay leaf))
  • 2 cloves
  • ½ inch cinnamon
  • 2 single strands of mace
  • 2 green cardamoms

Method

preparation

  1. First heat water in a pan, microwave or electric heater.
  2. Then soak cashews in the hot water for 20 to 30 minutes.
  3. After 20 to 30 minutes, drain all the water and add the soaked cashews to a grinder or blender.
  4. Add water and grind or blend to a very smooth paste.
  5. Meanwhile when the cashews are soaking, rinse, peel and chop the veggies.
  6. Steam the veggies in a pressure cooker, steamer or electric cooker till they are cooked completely. You can also fry or saute the veggies till they are cooked.

making veg handi gravy

  1. Heat butter in a handi or pan.
  2. Add whole spices - cinnamon, green cardamoms, mace, cloves and tej patta. Saute the spices till fragrant.
  3. Add finely chopped onions.
  4. Stir and saute the onions on a low flame till they become golden stirring often.
  5. Then add ginger-garlic paste, chopped coriander and mint leaves. Stir and saute for a minute.
  6. Add finely chopped tomatoes.
  7. Stir and saute till the tomatoes soften, become pulpy and you see fat leaving the sides of the mixture.
  8. Then add turmeric powder, red chili powder and coriander powder.
  9. Add the prepared cashew paste and yogurt/curd. Curd is optional and does give a slight sour taste in the gravy. You can easily skip, if you do not prefer curd.
  10. Stir often and saute till you see fat releasing from the sides.
  11. Add water. Stir.
  12. Then add slit green chilies. Stir again and let the gravy begin to simmer. Takes about 3 to 4 minutes on a low to medium flame.
  13. Season with salt. You can also add sugar for a light sweet taste. Stir again.
  14. Add the steamed veggies.
  15. Stir very well and simmer the veggies in the gravy for 2 to 3 minutes. The veg handi gravy would begun to thicken by now.
  16. Grate a bit of nutmeg directly in the gravy. About a pinch of grated nutmeg or nutmeg powder.
  17. Then add crushed kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves) and garam masala powder. Stir.
  18. Lastly add cream. I added amul cream. Use a low fat cream.
  19. After adding cream, stir & switch off the flame.
  20. Garnish with chopped coriander or mint leaves and serve veg handi hot or warm with tandoori rotis, naan, parathas or chapatis.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.