Mini Indian Vegetarian Cooking. Devagi Sanmugam

large onions, sliced thinly

      1 tablespoon ginger paste

      1 tablespoon garlic paste

      1¼ teaspoons salt

      125 ml (1/2 cup) yoghurt

      1 litre (4 cups) water

      500 g (3 cups) mixed diced vegetables such as potatoes, peas, carrots and green beans

      2 tablespoons finely chopped mint leaves

      2 tablespoons finely chopped coriander leaves

      1½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

      500 g (2½ cups) uncooked basmati rice, washed and drained

      Spice Paste

      1 tablespoon oil

      40 g (1/3 cup) raw cashew nuts

      4 shallots, sliced

      2½ cm (1 in) ginger, sliced

      1 cinnamon stick, broken in half

      3 cloves

      5 cardamom pods

      30 g (½ cup) coriander leaves

      125 ml (½ cup) water

      1 Prepare the Spice Paste by heating the oil and stir-frying the cashew nuts, shallots, ginger, cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamoms and coriander leaves until aromatic. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. When cool, transfer to a blender, add the water and blend until smooth. Set aside.

      2 Heat the ghee or oil in a saucepan and stir-fry the onion until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic pastes, and continue to stir-fry over gentle heat for 2 minutes. Add the Spice Paste and stir-fry until the oil separates.

      3 Add all the other ingredients, except the rice, to the pan. When the mixture comes to a boil, add the rice, cover and cook over a low flame until the rice is cooked and the moisture evaporated. Remove from the heat and fluff up the rice before serving.

      Serves 4-6

      Preparation time: 25 mins