Recipe | Vegetable Kolhapuri

Today, I am sharing one of my favourite mixed vegetable recipes - the Vegetable Kolhapuri. This is a popular vegetable dish from Maharashtr...

Today, I am sharing one of my favourite mixed vegetable recipes - the Vegetable Kolhapuri. This is a popular vegetable dish from Maharashtrian cuisine and you will find it in almost all Indian restaurant menus. Kolhapur (in Maharashtra) is famous for its red hot chillies and this dish makes use of those spicy chillies to create a very aromatic and spicy curry. Traditionally the Kolhapuri masala is prepared from scratch using a whole host of spices and ingredients like Cinnamon, Cloves, Fenugreek seeds, Sesame seeds, Poppy seeds, desiccated coconut, Nutmeg, Cardamom, Black pepper, Coriander seeds and Red Chillies. However, those with limited time on hand (like me) make use of the ready Kolhapuri Masala that is available in most Indian grocery stores. So, here is my version of the Kolhapuri recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium sized potato
• 1/4 cup chopped cauliflower florets
• 1 cup mixed vegetables (Green peas, French beans and green Bell Pepper)
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
• 1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• Kolhapuri Masala
• Salt to taste
• Oil as required
• Coriander leaves (for garnishing)

Preparation

• Cut all the vegetables (potato, French beans, cauliflower, bell pepper) lengthwise. 
• Steam potatoes, cauliflower, beans and green peas until tender. The vegetables should retain their shape. Once done, keep aside.
• Heat oil in a pan/wok (Pictured in this article is the Judge Wok which is perfect for making Veg. Kolhapuri) and sauté the chopped onions. Add ginger-garlic paste.
• Once the raw taste has gone, add the chopped tomatoes and sauté till the tomatoes soften.
• Add the turmeric powder and red chilli powder.
• Add the chopped bell peppers and cook till they are half cooked. (Some recipes also call for carrots but I prefer not to add them).
• Add Kolhapuri Masala (2-3 tbsp. depending on how spicy you want the curry to be). Sauté for a while.
• Add around 250ml of water and season with salt.
• Let the mixture simmer for a while and then add the steamed vegetables. 
• Cover and cook for 2-4 minutes.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with Roti or rice.
• You can add lemon juice to balance the spiciness (if required).