A one pot meal is the easiest method to achieve a nourishing meal loaded with fresh vegetables, beans, seasonings and dare I say it’s easy peasy! As a Gujarati, I am fully aware that we are yet to understand the concept of just one wholesome dish accompanied with rice or bread – we need many more varieties! But if this one dish has your carbs, proteins and fibre in one go – do we really need more?
I recommend, if you’re kids are young, start training them now!! It is not always necessary to have a full plate with a ton of varieties in order to get your nutrition – it’s about balancing them and filling up your stomach the right way.
This Moroccan inspired stew is a wonderful recipe that is extremely flexible – you can add whatever veggies you have in the fridge, leftover boiled beans, fresh or dried herbs – whatever takes your fancy.
This is also a substantial bowl for those on diets and the amount of oil can be well controlled.
The key to good flavoured food is very simple but requires much patience – low heat and long slow cooking. Add more garlic and herbs for an extra flavoured boost.
I also add a lemony-garlic yogurt sauce on top of the stew for a citrus cool flavour. The garlic cooked in ghee provides for the perfect amount of warmth.
About:
Broccoli, mushrooms, potatoes, sweet potatoes, zucchini, corn, baby corn… use any of the vegetables that you have stocked up. If you must cook the veggies beforehand, I suggest sautéing them in a non-stick pan, on high heat, with no oil for 10-15 minutes, stirring and covering alternatingly. The veggies should be semi cooked but crunchy and perhaps slightly grilled. This way, you still keep some of the nutrition
The Recipe
Serves Serves: 4 | Prep Time: 60 mins | Cook Time: 45 mins
Ingredients
- Stew:
- 2 onions, sliced
- 8-10 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 6 tomatoes, crushed
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp grounded coriander
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp sumac
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tsp dried mint
- ½ cup black eyed beans, boiled (chora dal)
- 1 cup cauliflower florets
- ½ cup carrot juliennes
- ½ cup red pepper juliennes
- ½ cup green beans
- ½ cup peas, boiled
- ½ cup spring onions, chopped
- ½ cup fresh mint
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ¼ cup pistachios, chopped
- Yogurt Sauce:
- ½ cup yogurt
- 1 tsp ghee
- 4-5 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 tsp dried mint
- Juice of half a lemon
- Salt to taste
- To serve:
- Steamed rice
Instructions
- Stew:
- Sauté the onions and garlic with a bay leaf in the oil until fragrant.
- Add in the cumin, ground coriander, cinnamon, paprika and sumac.
- Then add in the chopped tomatoes and fry.
- Add the vegetables and salt and cook, stirring frequently until the vegetables are cooked.
- Pour in the crushed tomatoes puree with the beans, dried and fresh mint.
- Cook and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- Yogurt Sauce:
- Fry the garlic and mint in the ghee for a few minutes.
- Pour it into the yogurt.
- Squeeze in the lemon and add salt.
- To Serve:
- Serve the stew with some yogurt on top of rice.
