Vegetable Gassi

Name: Vegetable Gassi
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: south_indian
Ingredients: 150 g potato (peeled and cubed); 120 g carrot (peeled and cubed); 100 g beans (trimmed and cut into short pieces); 80 g peas; 1 pcs onion (medium, sliced); 2 pcs tomato (medium, chopped); 0.75 cup coconut (fresh, grated); 4 pcs dried red chili; 1 tsp coriander seeds; 0.5 tsp cumin seeds; 1 pinch fenugreek seeds; 1 pinch turmeric powder; 4 pcs garlic (cloves); 1 tsp tamarind paste; 2 tbsp oil; 2.5 cup water; 0.5 tsp salt; 6 pcs curry leaves; 0.5 tsp mustard seeds

RATING

4.2/5(28)

TASTE SCORE

8/10

A coastal Karnataka style mixed vegetable curry with a gently spiced coconut base, soft vegetables, and a rich red masala. It is comforting, fragrant, and perfect with neer dosa, rice, or roti.

PREP

20m

COOK

30m

SERVES

1 KATORI

243 cal

SERVINGS

METHOD · 8 STEPS

prep · ~10 min
Prep the vegetables and masala ingredients.
1.Cube the potato and carrot into even bite-size pieces.
2.Cut the beans into short pieces and keep the peas ready.
3.Slice the onion, chop the tomato, and peel the garlic cloves.
boil · ~15 min
Cook the vegetables until just tender.
Add potato, carrot, beans, peas, 1.5 cups water, turmeric powder, and half of the salt to a pot. Cook over medium heat until the vegetables are tender but still hold their shape.
TIPDo not overcook the vegetables or they will break once the masala is added.
saute · ~8 min
Cook the spices and coconut for the masala.
1.Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan over medium heat.
2.Add dried red chili, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, and garlic; sauté until fragrant (1-2 min).
3.Add the grated coconut and sauté lightly for 2 minutes without browning too much.
4.Add the chopped tomato and cook until soft (3-4 min).
TIPA light roast gives the gassi a deeper flavor, but burnt coconut will make it bitter.
mix · ~4 min
Grind the masala smooth.
Cool the coconut mixture slightly, then grind it with tamarind paste and 0.5 cup water to a smooth, thick paste.
simmer · ~10 min
Simmer the curry.
Add the ground masala to the cooked vegetables. Mix well, add the remaining water and salt, and simmer gently for 8 to 10 minutes until the gravy thickens and the flavors come together.
TIPKeep the heat low and stir now and then so the coconut gravy does not catch at the bottom.
temper · ~1 min
Make the tempering.
1.Heat the remaining oil in a small pan.
2.Add mustard seeds and let them splutter (20-30 sec).
3.Add curry leaves and fry briefly until aromatic.
assemble · ~1 min
Pour the tempering over the gassi.
Pour the hot tempering into the simmering curry and mix gently. Cook for 1 more minute.
serve
Serve the vegetable gassi hot.

PRO TIPS

What to keep in mind.

7 tips from the recipe — small details that make a real difference to the final dish.

1
Cut the potato and carrot to a similar size so they finish cooking together and stay neat in the gravy.
2
Toast the red chilies and spices only until fragrant; fenugreek turns bitter very quickly if it darkens too much.
3
Let the coconut mixture cool slightly before grinding so the masala blends smoother and doesn't build excess pressure in the jar.
4
Grind the masala very smooth for the classic gassi texture; add water in small splashes rather than all at once.
5
Simmer the curry gently after adding the coconut masala, not at a hard boil, to prevent splitting and sticking.
6
Add the mustard-curry leaf tempering while it is still sizzling so the hot oil perfumes the whole pot immediately.
7
This gassi tastes even better after 20 to 30 minutes of resting, once the vegetables absorb the tamarind-coconut masala.