Vegetable kadai with punjabi vadis

This is a healthy subji learnt from a punjabi friend. I have modified this to sathvik version(no onion no garlic)and cooked several times.This recipe can be modified according to the availability of seasonal vegetables. I used carrots, peas,red peppers,cauliflowers etc. Beans, brocolli,turnip, potatoes,frozen corn,cabbage are good addition to it.The punjai vadis can either be store brought or made at home. The store bought vadis are mostly vegetarian. When you purchase them in indian stores look for the green dot on the box which denotes it to be pure vegetarian.

Ingredients:

• Vadi - one cup
• Tomatoes - 2 cups diced
• Grated ginger - one tbsp
• Green chilly minched - one tsp or 3 medium
• Cashewnuts - 2 tbsp
• Poha/rice flakes - one tsp
• Corn starch - one tsp
• Sugar - one tsp
• Vegetables diced - 4 cups
• Oil - 2 tbsp
• yogurt - one cup
• cumin seeds - one tsp
• Garam masala - 2 tsp
• Hing - 1/4 tsp
• Freshly chopped cilantro - one tsp
• Salt to taste

Directions

1. Shallow fry the vadis and keep them aside.
2. Powder the cashews, rice flakes etc and keep aside.
3. Whisk the yogurt into smooth paste without lumps.
4. Add the chilly powder, garam masala, corn starch, cashew and rice flake powder, sugar etc to the yougurt and keep aside
5. place a pan on the stove and add the oil. when it is hot add the cumin seeds and let it splutter
6. Add the grated ginger and chilly and let them turn golden brown
7. Add the hing and the diced tomatoes and saute for 3 minutes
8. Add the turmeric and saute for minute and close the pan and let it cook for 7-8 minutes in medium flame. make sure it doesnt burn
9. Open the tomatoes and see if it is mushy and press with a flat spoon to make it a gravy.
10. Add the diced veggies and the vadis mix well with the gravy add acup of water to the gravy and close the pan and cook for about 10-15 minutes until the veggies are cooked well.
11. Once the vegetables are cooked, add the yogurt and spice mix, salt etc and boil for 2-3 minute. Make sure the subji doesnt turn too watery.
12. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve with Hot Roti, paratha or Rice

For home made vadis you can soak urad dhal for about 2-4 hours and strain without any water and dry grind them with pepper, salt, hing and red chillies and fry them into small chunks and store in refridgerator or if you live in a area where lot of sunlight available you can sundry them and store in jars. My mother makes them with channa dhal and sundries them and stores in jars. It has longer shelf life.