veg handi recipe, restaurant style veg diwani handi recipe |Cooking With Amanda

veg handi recipe – creamy restaurant style vegetable handi recipe with step by step pics.

who doesn't like restaurant food at home. we also do and are no exceptions. this recipe of vegetable handi is inspired from the rich heavy food that is served in restaurants. once in a while, its alright to be indulgent. after all we don't eat everyday from the restaurants.

for this veg diwani handi, the gravy or base is made from cashew paste, onion-tomatoes and cream. a bit sweet, mild and creamy gravy. generally, the veggies are fried or sauteed. i have steamed the vegetables.

the recipe is called veg handi as the dish is made in handi. handi is a kind of cooking pot used in indian cooking with a shallow depth and a wide bottom. here i have used clay handi. you can use a steel handi or even a regular pot or pan. recipes made in a handi are named such – like paneer handi, handi pulao or handi biryani etc.

veg handi recipe is easy and simple and has been inspired from the cookbook – on the butter chicken trail: a moti mahal cookbook (amazon | flipkart).

just a bit prep work is required to prepare the cashew paste and steaming the veggies. after that its a breeze. i have also cooked the veggies in the gravy, but i prefer to steam the veggies separately and do the remaining prep work, when the veggies are steaming. paneer cubes can also be added along with the veggies. you can also add tinned fruit cocktail towards the end in the recipe.

vegetable handi is best served with tandoori rotis, plain naan or butter naan or parathas or rotis.

step by step veg handi recipe below:

1. soak cashews in hot water for 30 minutes.

2. after 30 minutes, drain and add them to a grinder or blender.

3. add water and grind to a very smooth paste.

4. meanwhile when the cashews are soaking, rinse, peel and chop the veggies. you can add vegetables of your choice.

5. steam the veggies in a pressure cooker, steamer or electric cooker, till they are cooked completely. you can also fry or saute the veggies.

6. melt butter in a handi or pan. keep the flame on the lowest, so that the butter does not brown or burn.

7. add whole spices – cinnamon, green cardamoms, mace, cloves and tej patta. saute the spices till fragrant.

8. add finely chopped onions.

9. stir and saute the onions on a low flame.

10. the onions need to become golden.

11. then add ginger-garlic paste, chopped coriander and mint leaves. stir and saute for a minute.

12. add finely chopped tomatoes.

13. stir and saute till the tomatoes soften, become pulpy and you see fat leaving the sides of the mixture.

14. then add turmeric powder, red chili powder and coriander powder.

15. add the prepared cashew paste and yogurt/curd. curd is optional and does give a faint sour taste in the gravy. you can easily skip, if you do not prefer curd.

16. stir often and saute till you see fat releasing from the sides.

17. add water and stir.

18. then add slit green chilies.

19. stir again and let the gravy begin to simmer. takes about 3 to 4 minutes on a low to medium flame.

20. season with salt. you can also add sugar for a light sweet taste. stir again.

20. add the steamed veggies.

21. stir very well and simmer the veggies in the gravy for 2 to 3 minutes. the gravy would begun to thicken by now.

22. grate a bit of nutmeg directly in the gravy. about a pinch of grated nutmeg or nutmeg powder.

23. then add crushed kasuri methi/dry fenugreek leaves and garam masala powder. stir.

24. lastly add cream. i added amul cream. use a low fat cream.

25. after adding cream, give a nice stir and switch off the flame.

26. garnish with chopped coriander or mint leaves and serve vegetable handi with tandoori rotis, naan, parathas or rotis.

if you are looking for more curry recipes then do check veg kolhapuri, vegetable korma, paneer butter masala, matar paneer, palak mushroom, and aloo gobi matar recipe.

vegetable handi recipe details below:

veg handi recipe

TOTAL TIME

1 hour 10 mins

veg handi - rich, creamy curry with mixed vegetables. restaurant style recipe.

AUTHOR: dassana

RECIPE TYPE: main

CUISINE: north indian

SERVES: 3-4

INGREDIENTS (measuring cup used, 1 cup = 250 ml)

for the cashew paste:

3 tbsp cashews or about 20 to 22 cashews
½ cup hot water for soaking, 125 ml hot water
3 tbsp water for grinding the cashews. you can also use the soaked water instead of plain water

other ingredients:

¼ or ⅓ cup chopped carrots, about 2 small or 1 medium carrot
¼ or ½ cup chopped french beans, about 8 to 10 french beans
¼ or ⅓ cup chopped potatoes, 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, 6 to 8 button mushrooms (optional) * for cooking mushrooms check notes
¼ cup paneer cubes (optional)
1 medium onion, about ½ cup finely chopped onion
1 medium tomato, about ½ cup finely chopped tomatoes
3 to 4 medium garlic + ½ inch ginger, crushed to a paste or 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 tsp chopped coriander leaves/dhania patta
1 tsp chopped mint leaves/pudina patta
1 cup water, 250 ml
3 tbsp low fat cream, 25% to 35% fat
1 tbsp curd/yogurt (optional)
½ tsp red chili powder/lal mirch powder
¼ tsp turmeric powder/haldi
¼ tsp garam masala powder
½ tsp kasuri methi/dry fenugreek leaves (crushed)
a pinch of nutmeg powder or grated nutmeg
2 tbsp butter
salt as required
sugar as required (optional), you can add about ½ tsp of sugar or as per your taste

whole spices:

1 small to medium tej patta/indian bay leaf
2 cloves/lavang
½ inch cinnamon/dal chini
2 single strands of mace
2 green cardamoms

INSTRUCTIONS

first heat water in a pan, microwave or electric heater.
then soak cashews in the hot water for 30 minutes.
after 30 minutes, drain and add the soaked cashews to a grinder or blender.
add water and grind to a very smooth paste.
meanwhile when the cashews are soaking, rinse, peel and chop the veggies.
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.
heat butter in a handi or pan.
add whole spices - cinnamon, green cardamoms, mace, cloves and tej patta. saute the spices till fragrant.
add finely chopped onions.
stir and saute the onions on a low flame till they become golden.
then add ginger-garlic paste, chopped coriander and mint leaves. stir and saute for a minute.
add finely chopped tomatoes.
stir and saute till the tomatoes soften, become pulpy and you see fat leaving the sides of the mixture.
then add turmeric powder, red chili powder and coriander powder.
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.
stir often and saute till you see fat releasing from the sides.
add water. stir.
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.
season with salt. you can also add sugar for a light sweet taste. stir again.
add the steamed veggies.
stir very well and simmer the veggies in the gravy for 2 to 3 minutes. the gravy would begun to thicken by now.
grate a bit of nutmeg directly in the gravy. about a pinch of grated nutmeg or nutmeg powder.
then add crushed kasuri methi/dry fenugreek leaves and garam masala powder. stir.
lastly add cream. i added amul cream. use a low fat cream.
after adding cream, stir & switch off the flame.
garnish with chopped coriander or mint leaves and serve vegetable handi with tandoori rotis, naan, parathas or chapatis.