A classic vegetarians’ delight, this restaurant style veg handi will create that fine dining experience at the comfort of your home! This warm & cosy mixed veg handi made in a restaurant style gravy is simply soulful!
Even though we are dedicated meat lovers and we hardly order any meatless dish when we eat out, this veg handi is one such dish that compels us to make an exception!
This classic veg handi grabs our attention when we really want to order something loaded with veggies and for all good reasons!
This pure vegetarian curry is not only good due to the loads of veggies it comes with, but also because of its creamy & luscious gravy!
So, now it’s high time that I learn to make this restaurant style veg handi at home and after successful recreation, I am here to share the same with y’all!
What is veg handi restaurant style?
If I decode the name of this recipe then it literally means vegetables prepared in a handi, which is a classic Indian utensil having a unique shape – a round bottom with a narrow midsection but then a wide mouth.
So this veg handi is essentially a mixed vegetable curry which is traditionally made in a handi and hence the name veg handi!
This restaurant style veg handi is kind of a vegetable stew but with a thicker gravy that is smooth and creamy.
You will surely need some amount of cream to achieve that restaurant style creaminess in your homemade veg handi, but being the fitness freak that I am today, I could not convince myself to add heaps of cream!
So I added a secret ingredient which replicated the creaminess with subtle compromise, but since it’s for your own health, it is definitely worth it!
Don’t worry, I did add cream, but just a small amount so that this high fiber vegetarian dish does not become guilty of carrying a high amount of fat!
Ingredients for restaurant style veg handi
Vegetables: Your classic veg handi demands loads of vegetables to ensure you get that complete royal experience within your homely comfort!
A quick tip to choose the right vegetables here is that you pick the harder ones which retain their texture after cooking and avoid the ones which melt down like eggplant (aka brinjal), any type of gourd, pumpkin etc.
Below is the list of veggies that I used in my veg handi!
Cauliflower: My better half loves this vegetable and it gives a nice crunch & creaminess to the veggie delight!
Green peas: Since veg handi is a classic winter recipe, it can’t be complete without the cutest winter veggie which is none other than green peas!
Mushroom: This one is not a must but if you love mushrooms as much as we do, please add! The crispy fried mushrooms taste amazing when mixed with the creamy gravy!
Corn kernel: To be very honest, I added these golden corn kernels to bring that vibrant color contrast to my veg handi and make it more appetizing!
And thankfully I did, as it added a beautiful crunch and complimented all the other veggies perfectly!
Capsicum: A green capsicum or bell pepper increases the green quotient of this dish; so it’s a great addition to the assortment of veggies.
You can also add red or yellow bell peppers for that gorgeous color palate!
Carrot: Since fresh carrots are available throughout the year, it is kinda staple in this classic veg handi!
Beans: Same as carrots, but winter season produces the freshest of the beans that you will ever get!
Potato: This is a must! I will tell you why! Cubes of potatoes not only add a nice body to this creamy veg handi; but also help thicken the gravy. How you ask?
Once all the veggies are cooked, mash a couple of cubes of potatoes within the gravy using a spatula; this trick helps thicken the gravy without too much cream!
Now that we had a run down of vegetables, let’s see what else you will need to make this best veg handi ever!
Whole spices: The warm whole spices add the royal touch in this restaurant classic! Cloves, cinnamon, cardamom and bay leaf – that’s the bundle of whole spices you need!
Mustard oil: Since I use the cold pressed mustard oil in the majority of my cooking, especially the Indian recipes, this one is also no exception!
Powdered spices: The gravy of veg handi is spiced with the typical Indian powdered spices i.e. turmeric, coriander, cumin and red chilli powder.
I used Kashmiri red chilli instead of regular chilli powder as I wanted to impart a nice red color to my dish instead of heat.
Aromatics: To make the base of the veg handi gravy, you will need the classic combination of aromatics that are typically used in any Indian curry!
Onion, ginger, garlic and fresh green chillies make the gravy base which is then topped with homemade tomato puree and fried nicely until all the aromatics are melted and mixed together.
Curd/yogurt: This restaurant style veg handi has a creamy gravy just like other restaurant style curries; but I had used thick curd (preferably hung curd) to cut down the amount of cream without sacrificing the creaminess.
And that’s the secret ingredient that I hinted about above!
Cream: I did add a small amount of cream to my homemade veg handi so as to not deprive us from that soul-satisfying creamy gravy!
Salt: Season this dish at different layers – while sautéing the veggies, while making the onion-tomato masala and finally while simmering the gravy!
Sugar: This mixed veg curry is slightly on the sweeter side, so you will need a couple of teaspoons of sugar.
Fresh coriander: Garnish your restaurant style veg handi with freshly chopped coriander leaves before serving!
How to make restaurant style veg handi at home?
Step 1: First we have to cut all the vegetables. Cut the cauliflower in medium size florets, carrots & beans into 2-inch long pieces, potatoes into 1-inch cubes and mushrooms into halves.
Step 2: To build the best taste of the restaurant style veg handi, I recommend frying up each vegetable individually.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil for each veggie and shallow fry each vegetable for 8 to 10 minutes on medium heat until they are glossy and almost cooked but not fully though.
You have to fry the veggies until they are 80% cooked because later they will be simmered in the gravy and will get cooked completely.
Set all the fried vegetables aside until further needed.
Step 3: We will make the tomato puree at home to ensure the freshest possible taste. Just chop about 4 medium sized tomatoes and deseed them.
Then blend them in a blender or mixer grinder without any water; your fresh homemade tomato puree is ready!
Step 4: Now heat about 4 tablespoons of oil in the kadai. Once the oil is hot, add chopped garlic and chopped green chillies. Sauté them for a few seconds.
Step 5: Once they turn aromatic, add the sliced onions and sauté them for 8 to 10 minutes on medium flame until they turn golden brown.
Step 6: After the onions are nicely fried until golden brown, pour the prepared tomato puree to the kadai.
Step 7: Cook the tomato puree with onion until the mixture turns completely dry and oil starts to release, about 6 to 8 minutes on medium flame.
Step 8: Now switch off the flame and transfer the mixture to a blender. Allow it to cool completely and then blend it to a smooth puree by adding half a cup of water ensuring no lump is left behind.
Step 9: Heat up the kadai again (make sure it is clean, else the stuck bits of onion-tomato will start to burn) and add a couple of tablespoons of oil.
Step 10: Temper the hot oil with cloves, green cardamom, cinnamon stick and bay leaf. Keeping the flame on low, let them become fragrant.
Step 11: Now add the powdered spices – turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, Kashmiri red chilli powder, keeping the heat on low.
Step 12: Sauté the spices for a minute and then pour in the prepared onion-tomato masala puree to the wok. Give a good mix using a spatula.
Step 13: Continue cooking this mixture with spices for a couple of minutes until oil starts to release. Then add about 2 cups of water.
Step 14: Bring the water to boil. Season the gravy with salt to taste & the sugar; then add all the fried vegetables to it.
Step 15: Once the gravy starts to boil again, reduce the flame to minimum, cover the kadai with a lid and continue to cook until all the vegetables are completely cooked through.
This would take about 8 to 10 minutes.
Step 16: While the veg handi is simmering, in a mixing bowl mix together curd and cream by whisking both thoroughly using a fork or wire whisk so that there is no lump.
Step 17: Uncover the kadai and check the doneness of veggies after about 8 minutes; the gravy would have also reduced a bit by now.
Step 18: Add the curd & cream mixture to the veg handi and using a spatula give a gentle mix keeping the heat still on low so that curd or cream does not curdle.
Step 19: Check the seasoning at this stage and adjust if needed. Bring the gravy to your desired consistency and once you are happy, switch off the flame.
Step 20: Your restaurant style veg handi is ready to devour! Serve it in a large serving bowl, garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves and enjoy!
More delicious vegetarian recipe from flavor quotient
Best Ever Veg Handi Restaurant Style | Mix Veg Handi Recipe Restaurant Style
Total time
Author: Priyanka
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Indian
Serves: 5 to 6 Servings
Ingredients
Vegetables:-
- Cauliflower florets – 2 cups
- Carrot – 2, medium
- Beans – 12 to 15
- Button mushroom – 200 gms
- Green peas – ⅓ cup
- Corn kernels – ⅓ cup
- Potato – 2, medium
- Capsicum – 1, large
For masala:-
- Onion – 2, large, thinly sliced
- Garlic – 8 to 10 cloves, finely chopped
- Ginger paste – 1 tbsp
- Green chilli – 2 to 3, finely chopped
- Tomatoes – 4, large
- Oil – ½ cup
- Cloves– 4 to 6
- Green cardamom – 4 to 6
- Cinnamon – 2-inch stick
- Bay leaf/tej patta – 1
- Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
- Coriander powder – 2 tsp
- Cumin powder – 1 tsp
- Kashmiri red chilli powder – 2 tsp
- Thick curd/yogurt – ½ cup
- Fresh cream – ¼ cup
- Salt to taste
- Fresh coriander leaves to garnish
Instructions
- Cut the cauliflower in medium size florets, carrots & beans into 2-inch long pieces, potatoes into 1-inch cubes and mushrooms into halves.
- To build the best taste of the restaurant style veg handi, I recommend frying up each vegetable individually.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil for each veggie and shallow fry each vegetable for 8 to 10 minutes on medium heat until they are glossy and almost cooked but not fully though.
- You have to fry the veggies until they are 80% cooked because later they will be simmered in the gravy and will get cooked completely.
- Set all the fried vegetables aside until further needed.
- We will make the tomato puree at home to ensure the freshest possible taste. Just chop about 4 medium sized tomatoes and deseed them.
- Then blend them in a blender or mixer grinder without any water; your fresh homemade tomato puree is ready!
- Now heat about 4 tablespoons of oil in the kadai. Once the oil is hot, add chopped garlic and chopped green chillies. Sauté them for a few seconds.
- Once they turn aromatic, add the sliced onions and sauté them for 8 to 10 minutes on medium flame until they turn golden brown.
- After the onions are nicely fried until golden brown, pour the prepared tomato puree to the kadai.
- Cook the tomato puree with onion until the mixture turns completely dry and oil starts to release, about 6 to 8 minutes on medium flame.
- Now switch off the flame and transfer the mixture to a blender. Allow it to cool completely and then blend it to a smooth puree by adding half a cup of water ensuring no lump is left behind.
- Heat up the kadai again (make sure it is clean, else the stuck bits of onion-tomato will start to burn) and add a couple of tablespoons of oil.
- Temper the hot oil with cloves, green cardamom, cinnamon stick and bay leaf. Keeping the flame on low, let them become fragrant.
- Now add the powdered spices – turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, Kashmiri red chilli powder, keeping the heat on low.
- Sauté the spices for a minute and then pour in the prepared onion-tomato masala puree to the wok. Give a good mix using a spatula.
- Continue cooking this mixture with spices for a couple of minutes until oil starts to release. Then add about 2 cups of water.
- Bring the water to boil. Season the gravy with salt to taste & the sugar; then add all the fried vegetables to it.
- Once the gravy starts to boil again, reduce the flame to minimum, cover the kadai with a lid and continue to cook until all the vegetables are completely cooked through. This would take about 8 to 10 minutes.
- While the veg handi is simmering, in a mixing bowl mix together curd and cream by whisking both thoroughly using a fork or wire whisk so that there is no lump.
- Uncover the kadai and check the doneness of veggies after about 8 minutes; the gravy would have also reduced a bit by now.
- Add the curd & cream mixture to the veg handi and using a spatula give a gentle mix keeping the heat still on low so that curd or cream does not curdle.
- Check the seasoning at this stage and adjust if needed. Bring the gravy to your desired consistency and once you are happy, switch off the flame.
- Your restaurant style veg handi is ready to devour! Serve it in a large serving bowl, garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves and enjoy!
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