About:

Vegetable saagu is a traditional Karnataka dish in which aromatic spices are blended with coconut and cooked with choice of vegetables. The choice of spices and its quantity is what makes the taste unique.

Serves: 4-5
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Preparation time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• Chopped mixed vegetables -2cups (French beans, capsicum, carrot, peas)
• Peas-1/2cup (fresh/frozen)
• Salt- as per taste
• Mustard seeds-1/2tsp
• Cumin seeds-1tsp
• Turmeric-1/4tsp
• Curry leaves-5-6
• Asafoetida-1/2tsp
• Coriander – 2tbsp chopped fresh leaves
• Oil-2tsp

For masala:

• Roughly chopped onion-1num
• Roughly chopped green chillies-3-4num
• Pepper corns-4-5
• Coriander seeds-2tsp
• Cumin seeds-1/2tsp
• Cinnamon-1/2”stick
• Cloves-3-4
• Fresh/desiccated coconut-1/4cup

Procedure:

For masala:

• Throw all the ingredients listed above in the blender/mixer jar and blend it to the smooth paste by adding some water if required.

For saagu:

• Heat oil in the kadai/pan and add mustard seeds
• When the seeds crackle add asafoetida, curry leaves, mix well and saute
• Add onions and saute for 2-3 minutes/until slightly translucent.

• Add mixed vegetables, turmeric, salt, 1cup water mix well cover and let it cook on a medium flame for 8-10 minutes.
• Then add the ground paste and simmer until the raw flavour of the masala goes off and vegetables are coated with the masala.
• Check for the salt and add water if required and simmer again for 5 minutes and turn off the flame, garnish with coriander.

Serve hot with:

Spinach Idli

Baked Methi/Fenugreek Poori

Watermelon Rind/Peel Dosa

Brown rice Dosa

Note:

• Traditional recipe of saagu is made with potatoes and vegetables but I haven’t used any potatoes, you can add it up if you wish to.