Ingredients
- This curry is a staple of the Indian Sindhi community. It's a sophisticated dish with a medley of vegetables and a tangy, robust curry made with chick pea flour. Like a Gumbo the roux is made by cooking flour in fat. However this dish is vegan and gluten free and the roux consists of chick pea flour and vegetable oil cooked to a burnished bronze. Some cooks prefer a thinner, lighter gravy but for me the beauty of this dish is a gravy rich in color, full in flavor and depth that imitates a non vegetarian gravy. For a lighter gravy cook the gram flour to a lighter color and add more water for a thinner version.
- SERVES 8 AS A MAIN COURSE WITH WHITE RICE
- 2 CUPS CHICK PEA FLOUR GRAM FLOUR OR BESAN
- 1 CUP VEGETABLE OIL (AVOID OLIVE OIL)
- 2 TEASPOONS TAMARIND PASTE CONCENTRATE
- 2 TEASPOONS CAYENNE PEPPER OR RED CHILLI POWDER OR TO TASTE
- 2.5 TEASPOONS SUGAR OR CRUMBLED JAGGERY (MORE TO TASTE)
- SALT TO TASTE
- VEGETABLES
- 250 GRAMS WASHED CARROTS CUT INTO 2-3 INCH MATCHSTICK LIKE PIECES
- 500 GRAMS WASHED COOKING POTATOES PEELED AND QUARTERED
- 200 GRAMS WASHED FRENCH BEANS OR GREEN BEANS CUT ON A BIAS INTO 3 PIECES
- OPTIONAL
- 5 WHOLE INTACT OKRA WASHED AND PATTED DRY (DO NOT CUT OR TOP AND TAIL
- 2 MORINGA OR DRUMSTICKS SNIPPED INTO APPROX 8 2 INCH LONG PIECES
- FOR THE TEMPERING
- 1 TEASPOON BLACK MUSTARD SEEDS
- 1 TEASPOONS WHOLE CUMIN SEEDS
- 6 SEEDS OF DRIED METHI OR FENUGREEK
- 1/5 TEASPOON ASAFETIDA
- 12 FRESH GREEN CURRY LEAVES TORN
Instructions
- HEAT VEGETABLE OIL IN A LARGE OVER SIZED POT LIKE A 6 QUART DUTCH OVEN OR 5-6 LITER KADAI/WOK ON MEDIUM FLAME.
- STIR IN THE CHICK PEA FLOUR USING A WHISK TO MAKE A SMOOTH PASTE.
- KEEP STIRRING UNTIL COLOR CHANGES TO A GOLDEN BROWN.
- THE ROUX WILL BE VERY HOT, AND BUBBLY.
- KEEP STIRRING TO PREVENT BURNING. THIS COULD TAKE 8-10 MINUTES.
- ONCE THE MIXTURE IS FRAGRANT AND A COPPER COLOR ADD THE MUSTARD SEEDS, CUMIN AND FENUGREEK SEEDS. THEY WILL SPLUTTER VIGOROUSLY SO STAND BACK. USE A SPLATTER SCREEN IF YOU WISH. LOWER FLAME AND ADD ASAFETIDA AND CURRY LEAVES. STIR RAPIDLY.
- OPTIONALLY, IF YOU ARE NOT COMFORTABLE TEMPERING SPICES DIRECTLY IN THE ROUX YOU COULD HEAT 2 TABLESPOONS OF OIL IN A SMALL SKILLET, TEMPER THE SPICES IN THIS HOT OIL SEPARATELY AND ADD IT TO THE VEGETABLES LATER.
- COOK SPICES ABOUT 1 MINUTE. ADD 1 LITER OF WATER AND STIR WELL. ADD POTATOES, CHILLI POWDER, SUGAR OR JAGGERY AND TAMARIND PASTE. STIR WELL AND COOK ON HIGH HEAT ABOUT 15 MINUTES.
- STIR IN CARROTS AND COOK ANOTHER 15 MINUTES ON MEDIUM HEAT.
- WHEN CARROTS AND POTATOES ARE ALMOST DONE ADD THE GREEN BEANS AND THE OKRA AND DRUMSTICKS IF YOU WISH.
- COOK UNTIL ALL VEGETABLES ARE TENDER AND EDIBLE.
- THE GRAVY WILL THICKEN. YOU CAN ADD MORE WATER FOR A THINNER CURRY.
- ADD SALT TO TASTE AND MORE SUGAR AND CAYENNE PEPPER IF DESIRED.
- SERVE HOT WITH PLAIN, WHITE BOILED RICE.
© 2023 All content copyright: Tara Deshpande