Vegetable Sagu

Name: Vegetable Sagu
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: south_indian
Ingredients: 200 g potato (peeled and cubed); 120 g carrot (peeled and cubed); 100 g beans (trimmed and chopped); 80 g peas (fresh or thawed); 1 pcs onion (medium, thinly sliced); 1 pcs tomato (medium, chopped); 2 pcs green chili (slit); 1 inch ginger (roughly chopped); 4 pcs garlic (cloves, roughly chopped); 0.5 cup fresh coconut (grated); 1 tbsp poppy seeds (soaked 15 minutes); 1 tbsp roasted chana dal; 1 tsp coriander seeds; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 0.5 tsp fennel seeds; 1 inch cinnamon; 2 pcs cloves; 2 pcs cardamom (green); 1 pinch turmeric powder; 0.5 tsp salt; 2 tbsp oil; 0.5 tsp mustard seeds; 8 pcs curry leaves; 2 tbsp cilantro (chopped); 1 tbsp lemon juice; 2 cup water

RATING

4.4/5(95)

TASTE SCORE

8/10

A gently spiced Karnataka-style mixed vegetable curry with a light coconut and poppy seed masala. It turns soft, fragrant, and mildly creamy, making it a lovely match for poori, set dosa, chapati, or idiyappam.

PREP

20m

COOK

25m

SERVES

1 KATORI

254 cal

SERVINGS

METHOD · 9 STEPS

prep · ~15 min
Prep the vegetables and soak the poppy seeds.
1.Cube the potato and carrot into small even pieces.
2.Chop the beans and keep the peas ready.
3.Slice the onion, chop the tomato, slit the green chilies, and chop the ginger and garlic.
4.Soak the poppy seeds in a little water for 15 minutes.
boil · ~12 min
Cook the mixed vegetables.
Add potato, carrot, beans, peas, 1 cup water, turmeric powder, and 0.25 tsp salt to a pan. Cover and cook until the vegetables are tender but still hold their shape.
TIPKeep the vegetables slightly firm so they do not turn mushy when simmered in the masala.
saute · ~2 min
Toast the spices for the masala.
Heat 1 tsp oil in a small pan. Add coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom; cook on low heat until fragrant.
TIPUse low heat here. The whole spices should smell warm and sweet, not darken too much.
mix · ~3 min
Grind the coconut masala.
Blend the toasted spices with fresh coconut, soaked poppy seeds, roasted chana dal, ginger, garlic, and a little water to make a smooth paste.
temper · ~7 min
Make the tempering.
1.Heat the remaining oil in a pan over medium heat.
2.Add mustard seeds and let them splutter.
3.Add curry leaves and green chilies and cook for a few seconds.
4.Add the sliced onion and cook until soft.
5.Add the chopped tomato and cook until it breaks down.
simmer · ~5 min
Cook the masala with the tempering.
Add the ground coconut paste to the pan and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often. Pour in the remaining 1 cup water and bring it to a gentle simmer.
simmer · ~7 min
Finish the sagu.
Add the cooked vegetables and remaining salt. Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes until the gravy turns lightly thick and the flavors come together. Stir in lemon juice.
garnish
Garnish with cilantro.
serve
Serve the vegetable sagu 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, carrot, and beans to a similar small size so they finish cooking together and keep a neat texture in the gravy.
2
Do not brown the whole spices while toasting; stop as soon as they smell sweet and aromatic or the masala can turn bitter.
3
Grind the coconut-poppy seed paste very smooth, adding water little by little, for the classic light, creamy Karnataka-style sagu texture.
4
Cook the vegetables only until just tender before adding them to the masala, since they will soften further during the final simmer.
5
Let the tomato fully break down in the tempering before adding the ground paste so the gravy loses any raw tang.
6
Add the lemon juice only at the end and off the heat or the fresh brightness can dull and the coconut gravy may taste flat.
7
If the sagu thickens as it sits, loosen it with a splash of hot water before serving with poori or dosa.