Kerala Vegetable Stew

Ingredients

• Onion - 1, finely sliced
• Carrot - 1, peeled and cubed
• Potato - 1, large, peeled and cubed
• French beans - 5, cut into 1" pieces
• Ginger - 1 tsp, grated
• Green chilies - 2-3, slit
• Curry leaves - a sprig
• Cinnamon stick - 1" stick
• Green cardamom - 2
• Cloves - 2
• Thin coconut milk - 1 1/4 cups
• Thick coconut milk - 3/4 cup
• Cashew nuts - 4, grind to a paste with few tbsps water (optional)
• Black pepercorns - 5-6, crushed
• Salt to taste
• Oil - 1 tbsp (or ghee)

Method

1. Heat oil or ghee in a heavy bottomed vessel. Add cardamoms, cloves and cinnamon and saute for a few seconds. Add sliced onions, grated ginger and green chillies and saute for 3 mts. Do not brown them.
2. Add the cubed potatoes, carrots, french beans and salt. Saute for 4 mts. Add 1/2 cup water and cover and cook for 6 mts.
3. Add the think coconut milk and continue to cook on low-medium flame till the vegetables are almost cooked. Mash a few potato cubes to thicken the gravy.
4. Adjust salt, crushed black peppercorns, cashew nut paste, thick coconut milk and curry leaves. Simmer without lid for 3-4 mts and turn off flame.