Vegetable Stew using coconut Milk

Coconut milk Vegetables Stew| Kerala Vegetable stew| Indian Vegetable Stew| Vegetable Ishtu| Sodhi| Nadan Vegetable stew is called in the above names in various regions regions of India. It is nothing but coconut milk based stew with mixed vegetables of choice. It is popular in Kerala where lots of coconut cultivation takes place. Indians prepare stew in coconut milk base where as in Western countries they generally use wine to prepare stew with vegetables.
Vegetable or Chicken Stew goes well with any kind of appam like Palappam, Idiyappam, Puttu etc. Perfect for Christmas or Easter festive day breakfast!!!

INGREDIENTS:
Carrot, cut into cubes-1
Beans, cut into 3- 5 nos
Cauliflower- 5-6 florets
Potatoes-1 big (or) 2 small
Green peas, fresh| fozen- 1/4 cup
Oil- 3 teaspoons
Cinnamon- 1 inch piece
Cloves-4
Cardamom-3-4
Onion, chopped lengthwise- 1
Green chillies, slit-3-4
Ginger, chopped/paste- 1 inch (1 tbsp)
Garlic, chopped/paste- 2 big cloves (1 tbsp)
Coconut, grated - 3/4-1 cup
Pepper powder- 1/4 teaspoon (optional- add if required)
Curry leaves- 1 strand
Salt- to taste

PROCEDURE:

• You could prepare this stew in pan or in pressure cooker. If you are running out of time you could use pressure cooker and cook for a whistle and open the pressure cooker and pour the coconut milk.
• Heat oil in a pan and add the cinnamon, cloves and cardamom and cook for a thirty seconds till the aroma arises.
• Add the onion and green chillies with a pinch of salt. Cook fifteen seconds and then add the ginger and garlic and cook till the onion becomes translucent.

• Now add the cut vegetables(carrot, beans, cauliflower, potatoes and peas) with some salt and mix well and roast in that oil for fifteen seconds.
• Now add enough water to cover the vegetables and close with a lid and cook till soft.

• Grind the coconut with 3/4 cup of water to get thick coconut extract. Grind again the same extracted coconut with 1 and 1/2 cups of water and take the the thin coconut extract.

• Add the thin extract first and bring the curry to boil. Once the curry starts to bubble add some curry leaves and the first thick coconut extract and switch off the gas and mix well.

• Note: I used to prepare stew mostly with idiyappam so i add a teaspoon of idiyappma rice flour mix left in the idiyappam maker as a thickening agent for the stew. I add while grinding the coconut so it gives nice texture to the stew. If you wish you could soak and grind cashew nuts to thicken the gravy.