Veg Kolhapuri, a mixed vegetable curry in a serving bowl

Veg Kolhapuri No Onion No Garlic is full of flavors, moderately spicy, nutritious, and delicious. It consists of mixed vegetables in tomato-based gravy that is spiced with freshly made Kolhapuri Masala Powder. This curry is absolutely restaurant-style, healthy, and vegan.

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About Veg Kolhapuri
Ingredients
Step by Step Directions
Serving Suggestions
Helpful Tips
Frequently Asked Questions
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About Veg Kolhapuri

Kolhapuri dishes are known for their spicy and robust flavors. I have never been to Kolhapur but always found Vegetable Kolhapuri and Paneer Kolhapuri dishes in the North-Indian restaurant menu.

I have made this mixed vegetable curry with homemade Kolhapuri Masala Powder, and it makes the curry very flavorful. However, I have used Kashmiri red chilis, and hence the dish is not too spicy.

I have already posted homemade Kolhapuri Masala Powder and Paneer Kolhapuri recipes.

Ingredients

Kolhapuri Masala Powder: Making this spice blend is essential for this recipe. It adds authentic Kolhapuri flavors to the Veg Kolhapuri No Onion No Garlic dish. I have included the masala recipe in this post, but if you want to make the Kolahapuri masala in a big batch, check out this Kolhapuri Masala Powder (No Onion No Garlic) recipe.
Vegetables: I have added cauliflower, green beans, carrots, and green peas to make this curry. Generally, potatoes are also used in Veg Kolhapuri. But because I don’t prefer potatoes in this curry, I have not included them. If you like to add potatoes, add one potato. Peel and cut it into cubes, then steam it with other vegetables or separately. If you are following a strict Jain diet, skip cauliflower and ginger to make Jain Veg Kolhapuri.
Tomatoes: Choose the tomatoes, which are ripe and pulpy. Ripe tomatoes will not be very sour. In this recipe, we are cooking tomatoes before blending. The cooking will remove the rawness of tomatoes.
Cashew Paste: I have added cashew paste to this curry instead of heavy cream. It elevates the taste of the dish and makes it rich and creamy. In addition, cashew paste makes the curry thick, and so vegetables bind well with the gravy.

Step by Step Directions

Making Kolhapuri Masala Powder

Heat a frying pan over low to medium heat and dry roast the dried red chilis, stirring continuously.
Roast them for about 3-4 minutes or until red chilis become darker in color.
Remove the red chilis from the pan and take them to the bowl or plate.

Note: I have made this Kolhapuri Masala in a big batch so that you will see more numbers of red chilis in the picture below.

In the same pan, roast the dry coconut on low heat until lightly golden brown.
Remove it from the pan and place it in the bowl or plate with red chilis.

Helpful Tip: Coconut will burn faster, so make sure to stir the coconut constantly and roast on low heat.

Note: I have made this Kolhapuri Masala in a big batch so that you will see more coconut in the picture below.

Now in the same pan, add all the spices except nutmeg powder and red chili powder.
Roast the spices on medium heat, stirring continuously, for few minutes until they are fragrant.

Note: I have made this Kolhapuri Masala in a big batch so that you will see more quantity of spices in the picture below.

Remove the spices from the pan and place them into the plate with roasted chilis and coconut.
Let them cool completely.

Take all the roasted ingredients into a blender jar, and add nutmeg powder and red chili powder.
Grind the spices into a powder.
Set the Kolhapuri Masala Powder aside.

Making Cashew Paste

Soak cashews in hot water for at least 15 minutes.

Then drain the water and take cashews into the blender.
Add ¼ cup of water and blend cashews into a smooth paste.
If you can not get a smooth paste, add a little more water to blend.
Set aside the cashew paste.

Preparing and Steaming The Vegetables

Rinse the vegetables well and pat them dry. I have used frozen green peas, but you can use fresh if available.
Cut the cauliflower into medium florets, and chop green pepper and carrots into cubes.
Chop the green beans into small pieces.
If you want, you can cut green beans, green pepper, and carrots lengthwise.
We will not steam the green peppers, so keep them aside.

Prepare your steamer and take cauliflower, green beans, carrots, and green peas in a steaming plate or pan.
Sprinkle some salt on top of the vegetables.
Steam these vegetables until they are cooked but still firm and not mushy.
Set them aside.

Making The Tomato Puree

Chop the tomatoes roughly and take them into the blender.
Blend the tomatoes into a fine puree.

Making The Veg Kolhapuri No Onion No Garlic

Heat oil in a pan, add slitted green chilis, ginger paste, and asafoetida.
Saute them for few seconds.

Add chopped green peppers and mix well.
Cook the green peppers for 3-4 minutes on medium heat until they are soft and tender.

To this, add tomato puree, turmeric powder, red Kashmiri chili powder, prepared Kolhapuri Masala, salt to taste, and sugar.
If you have prepared Kolahpuri Masala using very hot red chilis, add 2tbsp of it; otherwise, you can add 3-4 tbsp.
Mix everything well, and cook the gravy for 8-10 minutes; the oil will separate from the sides.

Once the gravy is cooked thoroughly and thicker, add cashew paste and crushed Kassori Methi (dried fenugreek leaves).
Mix well and cook for 2 minutes.

Now add steamed vegetables, and mix well.
Adjust the salt if needed. Add little water if you need to adjust the consistency. But, on the other hand, do not add too much water.
Cook the vegetables in the gravy for 2 minutes, and turn off the heat.

Transfer the Veg Kolhapuri into a serving bowl, and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Serving Suggestions

Serve Veg Kolhapuri No Onion No Garlic with Roti or Paratha.
It goes well with Tandoori Roti or Naan/
You can also serve it with this Whole Wheat Kulcha.
For a light meal, serve this mixed vegetable curry with plain steamed Rice or Jeera Rice.

Helpful Tips

You can add more or fewer vegetables to this curry as per your choice.
Instead of green pepper or in addition to green pepper, you can add other bell peppers too.
If you like, chop the green pepper, carrots, and green beans lengthwise instead of small pieces.
Instead of cashew paste, add heavy cream, light cream, or whisked yogurt for a similar result.
You will get enough Kolhapuri Masala with this recipe but use it less or more depending on your preference for spiciness.
If Kolhapuri Masala is very spicy, use red Kashmiri chili powder just for the bright color of the curry.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I boil The Vegetables Instead of Steaming them?

I prefer steaming over boiling the vegetables because if we boil them in water, they will become soggy. And then, boiled vegetables will release lots of water while adding them into the gravy, making it runny and watery. But the steaming of vegetables prevents this issue, so I prefer steaming over boiling the vegetables.
However, you can boil the vegetables, if you prefer. Make sure to drain them well after boiling. Do not overcook while boiling the vegetables; they should be cooked but retain their shape.

How Can I Substitute Cashew Paste?

Cashew paste brings creaminess and richness to the dish. It also makes the gravy thicker and dilutes the sourness of tomatoes. Using cashew paste is perfect if you are following a vegan diet.
However, if you don’t want to use cashew paste, you can skip it. But I will highly recommend using a substitute for it.
Instead of cashews, we can use the same quantity of almonds and make an almond paste for the recipe.
Also, adding 2-3tbsp of cream will bring the same creaminess and richness to the curry. If using cream, you can add it the same way as cashew paste has been added.
For a low-calorie option, use whisked low-fat yogurt (3-4tbsp) and add in the gravy instead of cashew paste.
However, in any case, if you choose not to add any of these, the thickness and taste will be different, but the curry will still be delicious!

Why Does My Gravy Taste Raw And Is Watery?

It is essential to cook tomatoes to remove the raw taste and smell. In this recipe, we did not cook the tomatoes but made the puree. So make sure that you cook the gravy thoroughly until the raw smell of tomatoes goes away. Also, the gravy should start getting thicker, and oil should separate from the sides. Adding cashew paste also thickens the gravy and helps vegetables to bind with gravy.

Can I Make Kolhapuri Masala In Advance?

Absolutely! In fact, I always make more of this masala and store it in the freezer, and use it as needed. I have an individual post for the Kolhapuri Masala Powder recipe. You can check out the detailed recipe post here, Kolhapuri Masala Powder (No Onion No Garlic).

About Veg Kolhapuri

Ingredients