Vegetable Makhanwala

                                                                           

I have had so many different versions of this recipe, Vegetable Makhanwala, at various restaurants across India and abroad!! At home however, the recipe I have consistently stuck to is this one that I got from a Tarla Dalal cookbook way back. Vegetable Makhanwala  basically means vegetables cooked in butter as makhan in Hindi is butter.  It is a simple recipe in which boiled vegetables are gently simmered in a creamy tomato sauce. This is an excellent dish to serve at dinner parties  and ideal for those occasions when you are in the mood for a restaurant style dish in the comfort of your home.

I have reached a landmark of sorts with this recipe as this is my 200th post!! Honestly, when I started this blog I had thought I would post just a few basic, simple recipes that would be of use to my kids and others new to cooking. Gradually I began to enjoy the whole process and kept adding more recipes. I  didn't realise it initially but it has begun to dawn on my that slowly many of my dear recipes are coming together in one place....some of which were in tattered recipe books, cook books, scraps of paper and some in the deep recesses of my memory.  There were other recipes I used to make by instinct which, for the purpose of sharing, I have had to carefully observe, measure and note down. It has made my life simpler as I find myself  now referring to my blog, without depending on my errant memory or instinct. So, though I set out to help others and share what I knew I have gained a lot too.

Ingredients: 

1 cup cauliflower florets
1/2 cup french beans
1/2 cup carrots
1/4 cup green peas
2  potatoes
3 onions
1 tea cup fresh cream
2 table spoon flour
1 tea cup milk
4 table spoon tomato ketchup
2 table spoon butter
1/2 tea spoon red chilly powder
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying

Method:   Finely chop onions. Cut the cauliflower in florets. Chop the french beans into one inch pieces. Shell green peas. Scrape carrot and cut into rounds and then cut them in  half. Boil the cauliflower florets, french beans, carrot and green peas in salted water for a few minutes. Drain and keep aside. Do not over boil or let them get mushy.  Peel potatoes, cut in long strips ( like french fries) and deep fry.  Mix the ingredients for the sauce - flour, cream, milk and tomato ketchup.

Heat butter in a non stick pan, add the onions and stir till translucent. Add the vegetables, the prepared sauce, salt and red chilly powder. Cook on very low flame for about ten minutes. The sauce will gradually thicken, colour will darken and butter will separate and come on top (see pic below). Serve hot, garnished with a dash of butter.