Ramesh’s Curried Vegetables
(Recipe by Liza B.)
Spices:Tumeric, Curry Powder, Salt, Pepper, Sesame Seeds, Mustard Seeds, Fresh Sage if available, Fresh Ginger (grated or finely diced), Fresh Sage
Vegetables:
1-2 Potatoes
1 Red Pepper
2-3 Carrots
1 Head of Cauliflower
1 Bunch of Collard Greens
Fresh Spinach
2-4 Tomatoes
1 Habenero or other Hot Pepper
1 Can Chick Peas or other White Bean
Other: Plain yogurt: to serve on the side, Papads (if you can find them) and Rice: white, basmati, or whatever sounds good to you!
Notes: You will cook the vegetables in stages, starting from hardest to softest. You can cook them in the order of how soft or hard you want them to be.
One: Rinse dry rice and then cook.
Two: Grate of finely dice the ginger and habenero pepper, and then set aside for later.
Tree: Chop/dice red pepper
Four: Take large sauce pan and fill with about 1 inch of water, then bring to a boil. Add chopped red pepper and let simmer for about 3-5 minutes.
Five: While the red pepper is simmering – cut potatoes, carrots, tomatoes and cauliflower into large pieces and set aside. The large pieces will break down while cooking. Also Chop collard green and spinach and set aside.
Six: Start adding the other vegetables in the order of how soft or hard you want them to be. Here is the order that I add them in:
• Add the carrots and cook another few minutes
• Add potatoes and cook another few minutes
• Add the cauliflower and mix together, then sprinkle about 1-2 teaspoons of turmeric over the cauliflower and then mix together again. (You can add the turmeric gradually until the vegetables turn a light translucent yellow – too much turmeric will make the sauce very thick).
• Cook for about 5 minutes and mix occasionally
• Add chopped collard greens, but DON’T mix in right away. Just dump them on top and then cover the pot and let them steam for about 5-10 minutes. Then mix them in.
• Add chopped spinach and mix in right away or else the leaves will clump togetherr
• Then add the tomatoes and cook about another 10 minutes or until the tomatoes are completely broken down into the sauce. After the tomatoes break down there should be about an inch of liquid in the pot, if not add more water.
• Add can of beans and mix in
• Add the following seasonings and mix together:
o Tablespoon Curry powder
o ½ Teaspoon Cajun or other spicy spice
o ½ Teaspoon Poultry Seasoning (Bell’s Seasoning)
Seven: Turn down heat and simmer.
Eight: Add about ¼ inch of oil (olive, peanut, or vegetable) into a small sauce pan and heat.
Nine: Add the following and stir until the fresh herbs start to turn dark and the sesame seeds may pop a little:
• Ginger, Habenero Pepper, Handful of fresh Sage
• ½ Teaspoon Fennel Seed
• ½ Teaspoon Mustard Seed
• 1 Teaspoon Sesame Seed
• About 4 Tablespoons of Lentils (all one kind or mix them up if you want)
Once this mixture is done, stir it into the vegetables and you’re done!
Serve with yogurt on the side
