VEGETABLE SAAGU (KARNATAKA STYLE)

My whole family loves the poori saagu we get in Bangalore. It is not that we don't like the poori bhaaji in Mumbai, but the saagu, i miss here. To compensate i make the saagu at home atleast once a month. It goes well with not only poori but also with dosa, idli, phulka, appam and even rice.....
I use less coconut since the gravy has a thick consistency from the roast gram dal used in the recipe. I learnt this from one of the cooks who we had hired for a feast at home.
It is packed with a lot of vitamins and minerals from the various vegetables used in the recipe. There is no hard and fast rule of the vegetables that can be used. So, use your own combination and pack a punch in your family meal!!!!

 

Ingredients:

All vegetables to be cut to the same size, into small cubes.
1 big carrot
1/4 bowl green peas (fresh/frozen)
1 big knol-khol (I get this in mumbai only in the winter)
12 french beans
1 big potato (optional)
1 small cauliflower
1 pinch turmeric

For the gravy paste:

1 tbsp fresh grated coconut
3 tbsp roast gram dal (puttani, dahliya, bhuna chana)
1 tsp coriander seeds
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
5 green chilli (adjust according to your taste)
1 clove
1 inch cinnamon
1 handful of coriander (hara dhania, cilantro, kothimiri)
1 inch ginger (optional)

For tadka:

2 byadagi chilli (torn in half)
1 tsp mustard
a pinch of hing
curry leaves
1 tsp oil

Method of Preparation:

1. Dry roast the coriander seeds, clove, cinnamon and cumin seperately. Let it cool.
2. Pressure cook all the vegetables with a pinch of salt and turmeric for 1 whistle. It should be almost cooked.
3. Blend all the ingredients for the gravy paste.
4. Heat oil in a kadai, splutter the mustard seeds, add hing, red chillies and curry leaves.
5. Add the vegetables to the kadai, the gravy paste, salt as per taste and bring everything together.
6. Adjust water as per your like and requirement and let it simmer for 5 mins.

Serve hot with poori, parantha, dosa, idli, appam, rice.....