VEGETABLE JAIPURI

It is tough to blog with a little guy who thinks that my ipad, laptop, and mobile (and I lost my mobile again) are his and I am just borrowing it from him for a couple of minutes a day. He knew that amma was up to something as soon as I opened my laptop to check my mails. He just did not want to sleep and was trying to get my attention with a "boo-boo" story and spinning on a long tale on how he got the boo boo. Krithi kutti went to bed at her usual time but it was close to 11 when my little cookie monster went to bed and finally I have a couple of minutes for me :)

Coming on to the recipe, we got hooked on to this recipe after tasting it in a nearby restaurant when were in Virginia.  I was searching for this recipe for quite sometime and finally got it from my friend. In the original recipe, my friend had used some coconut, potatoes, butter, and paneer. I have modified it to our needs. This cut down version tastes pretty good though.  This dish goes well with chapathis, dosas, rice, and variety rices like ghee rice, fried rice etc.

Ingredients:
1.  Diced vegetables like green beans, cauliflower, carrots, bellpeppers, peas etc all coming around 1 cup.
2.  Red onion, medium size, 1.
3.  Tomatoes, medium size, 2. (I have used canned tomatoes here, they give a nice color to the dish).
4.  Ginger-garlic paste, 1 tablespoon.
5.  Chili powder, 1 teaspoon or less depending upon preferred spice level.
6.  Salt as per taste.
7.  Lemon juice, 1 tablespoon.

To roast and grind:
1.  Coriander seeds,  1 tablespoon.
2.  Peppercorns, 1 teaspoon.
3.  Cinnamon sticks, 2-3 small sticks.
4.  Cloves, 5.

Preparation:
Roast and grind the ingredients given in the "roast and grind section" and keep aside. Steam or pressure cook the diced mixed vegetables and let them cool. Dice the onions and tomatoes into large pieces.  Heat a pan with a tablespoon of oil.  When the oil is hot enough, add the diced onions and saute them for a couple of minutes until the onions are tender. Then add the diced tomatoes and keep sauteeing until the tomatoes are cooked and everything is well blended and switch off the stove.  Once this mixture is cooled, blend it into a smooth paste.  Heat the pan with another tablespoon of oil and add the blended paste along with the ground powder, chili powder, ginger-garlic paste, and salt.  Keep stirring under low flame until the powders lose their raw smell and the mixture starts to thicken. Now add the cooked vegetables and cook for 2  more minutes. Add lemom juice in the end and serve hot with rice or chapathis.