Celebrating Holi? Try this vegetable curry recipe

Beginning on 25th March this year, Holi is a festival known for its free-for-all carnival of colours and iconic paint fights as well as bringing together family and friends to feast on delicious sharing plates. And if you’re hosting a gathering this week, why not try this tasty recipe from celebrated chef Vivek Singh – chef and CEO of the Cinnamon Collective range of restaurants?

Ingredients

3 tablespoons vegetable or corn oil

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

3 onions, finely chopped

2 carrots, diced into 2cm cubes

1 large potato, peeled and diced into 1cm cubes

3 ripe tomatoes, blended to a purée or very finely chopped

2 green chillies, halved lengthways

2.5cm piece of fresh ginger, finely chopped

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

½ teaspoon red chilli powder

2 teaspoons ground coriander

2 teaspoons salt

1 cauliflower, cut into 1cm florets

200g frozen peas or petit pois

4 black cardamom pods, seeds only juice of 1 lemon

½ teaspoon garam masala

2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander and/or dill

Method

Heat the oil in a heavy-based pan, add the bay leaves and cumin seeds and let them crackle. Add the chopped onions and cook over a fairly high heat for 10-12 minutes until light golden brown.

Now add the carrots and potatoes and stir for 3-4 minutes. Stir in the puréed tomatoes, green chillies, ginger, spices, and salt and cook for 8-10 minutes, until the oil begins to separate from the mixture at the sides of the pan. Add the cauliflower and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, then add the peas and cook for a further 3 minutes.

Pour in 450ml of water and cook until the vegetables are tender but still retain a little bite. Add the black cardamom seeds and check the seasoning, then stir in the lemon juice and garam masala and sprinkle with the chopped herbs. Cover and leave for 3-4 minutes, then serve hot with poories or any flatbread of your choice.