Kadai veg

Kadai or cheena chati is a deep-bottomed pan which is like a wok pan. This is a North Indiian dish. With paneer added, it becomes kadai paneer.

The ingredients are...

Olive oil - 4 tsps

Carom seeds - 1 tsp

Cloves - 1

Cardamom - 1

Onion - 1 large

Green chili - 1

Garlic - 7 or 8 cloves

Ginger - 1"

Tomato - 3 small

Salt - 1 tsp

Turmeic powder - a pinch

Kashmiri chili powder - 1/4 tsp

Coriander powder - 1 and 1/2 tsp

Green capsicum - 1

Celery - 2 stems

Heat a deep bottomed saucepan with 2 tsps oil. Add carom seeds, cloves and cardamom. Chop half of the big onion into thin slices, mince chili, ginger and garlic. Add these into the saucepan after frying the spices. Sautee for 5 to 7 minutes or until the onions become soft. Add roughly chopped tomato. Stir for 3 or 4 minutes. Add salt and spice powders. Stir for 2 or 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat and allow to cool.

Grind to a rough paste. Chop the rest of the onion into 1 inch slices. Do the same with the capsicum. In the same saucepan, add 2 tsps oil. When it heats up, add chopped onion. Stir for 6 or 7 minutes, or until the stinging taste of onion disappear but it is still crunchy. Add capsicum. Add minced celery stem and leaves. Sautee for another 4 or 5 minutes. Add ground masala. Stir to combine. Add a splash of water if required.

Serve with hot-hot chapatis.

Some shades of yellow and brown from our garden to match the dish.. :) Have a pleasant day!