This rich, slightly sweet, North Indian vegetable curry has its origins in Mughlai cooking, which is a blend of Indian and Persian styles where you find fruit added to curries, unlike in other styles around India.
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 small cinnamon stick
½ tsp crushed black peppercorns
3 green elachi
2 onions, grated
2 Tbsp ginger-garlic paste
4 Tbsp tomato purée
3 fresh green chillies, slit lengthways
500g mixed raw vegetables, such as peas, cauliflower, carrots, beans and potatoes, peeled and diced into bite-sized pieces
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garam masala, plus extra to serve
1 tsp brown sugar
5 Tbsp unsalted cashew nuts
4 Tbsp canned pineapple chunks
1/3 cup fresh cream
Dhania, to garnish
Method:
Heat the oil in a pot over a high heat, add the cinnamon stick, pepper and elachi and fry for 1 minute until they sizzle, then add the onions. Reduce the heat to medium and fry for 7–8 minutes until they begin to change colour.
Stir in the ginger-garlic paste, tomato purée and chillies and cook for 2–3 minutes until the oil separates, adding a couple of tablespoons of water to hasten the process.
Increase the heat and tip in the vegetables, turmeric, garam masala and salt. Mix gently, just cover with water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 35 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
Fold in the sugar, cashew nuts and pineapple and pour in the cream.
Garnish with dhania before serving.