This easy Vegetable Balti is a really delicious way to get the family to eat healthy veggies like bell pepper and cauliflower, as the Balti Spices add a fantastic Indian flavor to them. 1 Pan, Baked Balti Casserole. A wonderfully rich and hearty Indian Balti sauce that is packed with veggie vitamins. Glutenfree Soyfree and Nutfree.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 10 minutes
  • Cook time: 55 minutes
  • Total time: 65 minutes
  • Yield: 4
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: Indian, Pakistani

Ingredients

For the spice mix:

  • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds (or use ground coriander)
  • 1/2 teaspoon nigella seeds (or use 1 teaspoon dried onion flakes)
  • 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds (or use ground cumin)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek leaves (or 1/8 teaspoon fenugreek seeds)
  • 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne (use less for less heat)

For the curry:

  • 2 teaspoons oil
  • 1 cup thinly sliced red onions
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 inch ginger minced
  • 1 red bell pepper sliced or use a mix of red and green
  • 1 cup cauliflower florets
  • 1 cup cubed sweet potato or butternut squash
  • 1 cup sliced mushrooms
  • 2 tomatoes chopped small
  • 8 ounce tomato puree (canned also called tomato sauce depending on the brand. Use unseasoned)
  • 1 cup water
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt

Method

  1. Grind the spices in a spice grinder or blender with 2 blade, and set aside.
  2. In a baking dish, add the oil, onion, garlic, and ginger and the spice mix and mix well, and spread it around.
  3. Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit (205 c) for 9-11 minutes or until the onion is translucent.
  4. Then add in the veggies, tomatoes, tomato puree, salt, and water and mix well.
  5. Then put the dish back in the oven to bake for 35-45 minutes.
  6. Cover the dish after the first 20 minutes so that the edges don't burn too much. Check if the cauliflower and sweet potato are cooked to preference at 35 minutes. Otherwise, bake a little bit longer.
  7. Remove from the oven. Garnish with cilantro and lime juice and serve with Roti flatbread, naan or rice. Drizzle some non dairy yogurt or vegan cream before serving to tame the spices if needed.
  8. To make this on stovetop: Heat oil over medium heat in a large skillet. combine onion garlic ginger and spices and cook until golden. Add tomatoes and cook for a few mins until tender, add the purée, salt, veggies and 1/4 cup water. Cover and cook until veggies are tender (14-17 mins). Stir occasionally. Taste and adjust flavor. Add more water or some creamy milk to adjust consistent if needed, bring to a boil then take off heat.

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.