Vegetable Saagu - Karnataka Style

Mixed vegetable saagu is coconut based mixed veg gravy with a beautiful blend of flavors and spices and green tint in color. In every hotels and houses in karnataka prepares this recipe and little variation in the masala. Any vegetables can be added into this gravy. Beetroot may turn the gravy into light red. Pudina and coriander leaves gives a greenish tint and wonderful aroma to the curry. I have been eating this saagu along with dosa, chapathi or poori from childhood. Obviously, this recipe is passed from my mom. Whenever I find left veggies in fridge, I prepare this saagu.

Ingredients:

Oil              - 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds    - 1/2 tsp
Sliced Onions    - 1 large
Curry leaves     - 1 strand
Finely chopped vegetables(Carrot, beans, capsicum, peas) - 2 cups
Finely chopped coriander leaves for garnishing
Salt

For Masala:
 
Grated Coconut    - 3/4 cup
Bengal gram       - 3 tbsp
Poppy Seeds       - 1 tsp
Coriander seeds   - 1 tsp
Fennel seeds      - 1/2 tsp
Cinnamon sticks   - 1" stick pieces
Cloves            - 3 nos
Star anise        - 1 no
Cardamom          - 1 no
Ginger            - 1 tbsp
Garlic            - 1 tbsp
Green chilies     - 3 no ( can increase or decrease the nbr)
 
Method: Step 1 : Dry roast all the dry ingredients (spices and bengal gram) till you get nice aroma. Add garlic, ginger, grated coconut, green chilies, coriander leaves and mint leaves into it and fry for 30secs to 1 min maximum. Once the masala cools down, than grind the masala into a fine paste.

Step 2 : In a cooker, heat oil and add mustard seeds. Once mustard seeds starts spluttering , add sliced onion and curry leaves and fry till translucent.

Step 3 : Add chopped vegetables and fry till half fried on a medium flame. Add grind masala and salt into it and cook for 2 to 3 mins with vegetables. Add water based on the required consistency of the gravy. Close the lid of the cooker and turn off the stove after 1 whistle. Add chopped coriander leaves while serving. 

Serve with Dosa/Chapathi/Poori.

Note: Instead of cooker, kadai can be used to prepare this saagu. After adding water, allow it to cook vegetables well with masala and later switch off the stove.

Step by Step Pics:

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