Vegetable Curry
Ingredients
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- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 cups onion – finely chopped (~2.5 medium onions)
- 2 whole green chili – finely chopped
- 2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 2 cups tomato – pureed
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups potato – cut into 0.75-inch cubes
- 1 1/2 cups carrot – sliced 0.25-inch thick (~3.5 medium carrots)
- 3 cups cauliflower – florets (bite-size)
- 1 1/2 cups green beans – cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cups green peas – frozen
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) – crushed
- cilantro – chopped (for serving)
Instructions
1. Heat the vegetable oil in a wide heavy pot over medium heat until shimmering, about 2 minutes. Add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle until fragrant, 30 seconds.
2. Add the onion and green chili and cook, stirring often, until the onion turns translucent then light golden, 8–10 minutes.
3. Stir in the ginger-garlic paste and cook until the raw aroma fades, about 1 minute.
4. Sprinkle in the ground turmeric, Kashmiri red chili powder, and ground coriander; stir and toast the spices for 30 seconds.
5. Add the tomato and cook, stirring, until the masala thickens, looks glossy, and oil begins to separate at the edges, 6–8 minutes.
6. Pour in the kosher salt and water; stir and bring to a gentle boil.
7. Add the potato and carrot. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until starting to soften, 8–10 minutes.
8. Stir in the cauliflower and green beans. Cover and simmer until just tender, 6–8 minutes.
9. Add the green peas and simmer uncovered until bright and heated through, 3–4 minutes.
10. Fold in the garam masala and kasuri methi and simmer 1 minute to bloom the aroma.
11. Rest off heat for 2 minutes to settle the flavors. Serve hot, sprinkled with cilantro.
Vegetable Curry is a warmly spiced, vegetable-forward dish with a gently thickened gravy that coats tender pieces of seasonal produce. Built on a savory onion–tomato base and perfumed with earthy cumin, coriander, and turmeric, it delivers depth without heaviness. The balance of mild heat, gentle sweetness from cooked onions, and a whisper of fenugreek and garam masala at the finish makes it versatile and comforting with rice or flatbreads.
The idea of a mixed vegetable curry draws from North Indian restaurant and home-cooking traditions where a bhunao-cooked masala forms the backbone of many gravies. The English word “curry” traces back to the Tamil word “kari,” but across India there are countless regional gravies and sabzis with distinct spice signatures. Over time, a pan-Indian mixed vegetable gravy became a staple on highway dhabas and city menus, evolving to suit local produce and tastes while remaining a celebration of everyday vegetables.