Kadai Vegetable Gravy Recipe

Updated on February 24, 2019

Kadai vegetable gravy recipe with step by step photos. Restaurant style kadai vegetable is a semi gravy side dish that is served with any Indian flat breads like chapthis or rotis. It is made using a freshly ground spice powder which makes it more aromatic and lip smacking good. Kadai means a ‘Wok” and traditionally this was made in an iron kadai to give the curry an enriched taste, color and aroma not to mention added health benefits.

The spice powder can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator in an air tight container upto 2-3 days. So its a breeze to make it in the morning times if you are going to pack for the lunch boxes. The vegetables can also be chopped and stored well in advance.

I earlier added the vegetables raw and let it cook in the gravy itself which took a long time and needed so much supervision. I was also worried about the nutrient loss. But after I bought microwave, I started to parboil the vegetables so that it not only takes lesser time but also the nutrient values of the vegetables are preserved.

You can also parboil the veggies in a steamer or even in a pressure cooker. Earlier I never used to get Byadgi or Kashmiri chillies in my neighbourhood. But now I get them both, so I started to replace half the quantity of dry chillies with any of them. Not only do they give a rich color but also as they are low in heat, the curry gets balanced well without tasting too spicy.

I have made this side dish totally vegan by cooking it up entirely in oil. If you want it to be rich, use both ghee and oil to cook or you can also use ghee entirely.

You can also check out this Kadai Paneer, Baingan Bharta or Mixed Vegetable Kurma that goes so well with chapathis.

Kadai Vegetable gravy recipe with stepwise photos:

1. Heat a pan and add all the ingredients mentioned for grinding like cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, both the red chilies, pepper corns, cumin and coriander seeds. Dry roast over low flame till you get the aroma and transfer to a plate to cool.

2. Transfer the roasted spices into a mixie jar and grind to a fine powder. Keep aside.

3. Take the vegetables except onion in a microwave safe bowl and microwave it till they are parboiled. I microwaved at 50% power for 4 mins. You can also steam them in a steamer or pressure cooker for 6-7 mins. Keep aside.

4. Puree the tomatoes and keep it ready.

5. Heat a pan with oil. Add cumin seeds and let it sizzle. Add cubed onions, ginger garlic paste and saute till it turns translucent.

6. Add tomato puree. Measure 1 tbsp from the spice powder and keep it aside (we will be adding this at last). Add the rest of the spice powder and mix well.

7. Close the pan with a lid and let it cook till the oil separates and the raw smell of the tomatoes have gone. This should take 3-4 mins.

8. Add the parboiled vegetables, turmeric powder, salt, 1/2 cup water and mix well. Close with a lid and cook for 2-3 mins. The vegetables will be fully cooked by now.

9. Add the reserved 1 tbsp spice powder, garam masala powder, sugar, crushed kasuri methi and mix well. Cook covered over low flame for 1 more minute.

10. Take off stove. Kadai vegetable gravy is ready. Garnish with coriander leaves, if desired and serve hot with chapathis or rotis along with wedges of lemon.

Kadai Vegetable Gravy recipe details below:

Print Recipe

Kadai Vegetable Gravy Recipe

Restaurant style Kadai Vegetable Gravy recipe with step by step photos.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time30 mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Indian

Servings: 4

Author: Radhika

Ingredients:

• Cauliflower Florets - 1/2 cup
• Capsicum - 1
• Carrots - 1
• French Beans - 6
• Peas - 1/4 cup
• Baby Corn - 3
• Mushroom - 10
• Onion - 1 big
• Tomato - 3 medium
• Ginger Garlic paste - 1 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Kasuri Methi - 1/2 tbsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Garam Masala powder - 1/2 tsp
• Sugar - 1 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Oil - 2 tbsp

To Roast & Powder:

• Cloves - 3
• Cardamom - 2
• Cinnamon - 1 inch stick
• Whole Red Chillies - 5
• Byadgi Chillies - 4
• Black Pepper Corns - 1/4 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Coriander seeds - 1 tbsp

Instructions:

Preparation:

• Cube the capsicum and carrots. Cut french beans into 1 inch long pieces.
• Quarter the mushrooms. Cut the baby corns diagonally into 1 inch pieces.
• Puree the tomatoes and keep it ready.
• Cube the onions.

How to cook Kadai Vegetable Gravy:

• Take the vegetables except onion in a microwave safe bowl and microwave it till they are 3/4 th done or parboiled. I microwaved at 50% power for 4 mins. You can also steam them in a steamer or pressure cooker for 6-7 mins. Keep aside.
• Heat a pan and add all the ingredients mentioned for grinding like cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, both the red chilies, pepper corns, cumin and coriander seeds.
• Dry roast over low flame till you get the aroma and transfer to a plate to cool.
• Transfer the roasted spices into a mixie jar and grind to a fine powder. Keep aside.
• Heat a pan with oil. Add cumin seeds and let it sizzle.
• Add cubed onions, ginger garlic paste and saute till it turns translucent.
• Add tomato puree. Measure 1 tbsp from the spice powder and keep it aside (we will be adding this at last).
• Add the rest of the spice powder and mix well.
• Close the pan with a lid and let it cook till the oil separates and the raw smell of the tomatoes have gone. This should take 3-4 mins.
• Add the parboiled vegetables, turmeric powder, salt, 1/2 cup water and mix well.
• Close with a lid and cook for 2-3 mins. The vegetables will be fully cooked by now.
• Add the reserved 1 tbsp spice powder, garam masala powder, sugar, crushed kasuri methi and mix well.
• Cook covered over low flame for 1 more minute.
• Take off stove. Kadai vegetable gravy is ready.
• Garnish with coriander leaves, if desired and serve hot with chapathis or rotis along with wedges of lemon.