Veg Jaipuri

We have always eaten at Dhabas (eat out place at highways in India) when travelling by road. Every dish we eat there tastes extremely delicious and mouth watering. The taste of each dish is carved in our memory for a pretty long time. Dhabas are not high end places but a perfect example of simplicity, gratitude and hospitality clubbed together. My early childhood has memories comprises of authentic Dhaba style food as we used to travel frequently to New Delhi during our summer vacations. My father was posted in Delhi in early 90's and it was our planned summer vacation every year. There were quite a few dishes that I was love with, of which Veg Jaipuri was one of them. The whole idea of adding all vegetables together and adding cashew paste and cream, it further accentuated the simple dish to whole another level. My father who was always fond of food happened to ask the owner of the Dhaba who was also the cook as to how he came about with this dish. To which he simply replied, "There are so many leftover vegetables that we cut for other dishes, which are in excess. Instead of throwing them away I happened to mix them together to come up with one rich dish which will be loved by all." The idea of this dish came about with simply avoiding wastage of food.

Let's take a look at ingredients and method.

Vegetables can be of your choice. There is no specific veggie that is required for this dish.

Ingredients:

1 cup Cauliflower Florets

1 cup Button Mushrooms

1/2 Green Peas

1/2 Bell Pepper (Capsicum) [Sliced]

1/2 Carrot [Sliced]

1/2 cup Paneer Cubes (Cottage Cheese) 

1 Potato [Cut into big pieces]

1 Onion Sliced

1 cup Tomato Puree

1 tbsp Cumin Seeds

1 tbsp Coriander Powder

1 tsp Turmeric Powder

2 tbsp red Chilli Powder

1/2 cup Cashew Paste [Recipe Below]

4 Peppercorns

2 Whole Kashmiri Red Chili (Optional)

1/2 inch Cinnamon Stick

1 Green Cardamom

1 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste

1 tsp Black Pepper Powder (Kali Mirch powder)

1 tsp Crushed Kasuri Methi

2 tbsp Oil for cooking

3 tbsp  Oil/Ghee/Butter for Stir Frying the vegetables

1 tsp Cream

1 tbsp Grated Paneer

2 cups of water

Salt To Taste

1 cup Chopped Coriander

Method:

In a pan add 2 tbsp of Oil/ Ghee/ Butter to a non stick pan and add each vegetable one at a time and stir fry them individually for 5-6 mins. Cauliflower and Potato will take longer than other vegetables, hence cook them until they turn golden. We do not want to burn them hence keep the flame medium. In this step also add diced Paneer and saute it until golden. Remove each vegetable aside and keep it in a tray aside.

NOTE: Potato I have sliced as I have left overs and did not want to waste it. Diced potatoes actually retain the shape and hence it will taste better.

In a wok/pot add 2 tbsp Oil and let it heat on medium flame. Add Peppercorns and Cinnamon stick to it. 

Once you get the aroma of the spices add cumin and let it splutter for a second and then add chopped onions to it.

On medium flame keep stirring the onions until they soften. At this point add ginger garlic paste and mix it well. Let it cook until the raw smell of the paste vanishes.

Add Green Cardamon and Kashmiri Red Chili to the mixture and let the mixture cook until the onions are golden brown.

Turn off the flame and let the mixture cool. Once the mixture is at room temperature, grind the mixture to a fine paste.

Take the same pot and keep it on medium flame. Add Oil/Ghee/Butter to it and after few seconds of heating, add the grounded mixture to it.

Let the mixture cook for 5-7 mins and not more as we have already cooked it before.

Once the mixture starts drying up add tomato puree to it and give it a good mix. 

At this point if you want add 1 cup of water to give the mixture a good consistency. Add salt as per taste to the mixture too.

Cover the pot with a lid and let the mixture simmer on low flame for 5-7 minutes.

Remove the lid and then add all stir fried vegetables to the mixture slowly and delicately. DO NOT ADD Paneer at this point. As Paneer cooks easily we do not want to overcook it and disintegrate it in the gravy. Keep Paneer aside and add rest of the vegetables.

Using a spatula carefully fold the vegetables in the gravy or if you can then toss the vegetables in the gravy carefully. 

Make sure the gravy covers all the vegetables properly. Add 1 cup of water at this point if required. 

Also check the salt and add more if required as per your taste. 

Let the dish simmer on low flame for 5-7 minutes.

Add Cashew Paste to the dish and mix it well with care.

Add Kasuri Methi, Black Pepper Powder and Cream to the dish. You DO NOT NEED to mix these 2 ingredients as they will enhance the dish as it is.

Take the Paneer Cubes and with your hand start adding to the dish one at a time to the edges. Press it in the gravy so that it also get the flavor of the curry. 

Add 1 tbsp of Ghee/Butter on the top of the dish if required and add chopped coriander.

Cover the dish and let it simmer for 5 minutes maximum and then turn off the flame.

In a bowl gently serve the dish and add grated paneer on the top and serve it with Roti/Parathas/Naan.

Method for Cashew Paste: Soak the cashews overnight or maximum 4 hours. Drain the water and grind it to a fine paste. If required add little water to get a fine paste.