Mixed Vegetable Saagu

Scene I : Just a week after the wedding, Mother-in-law and the new Daughter-in-law of the house are watching TV and having a conversation after dinner....

MIL: What shall we make for breakfast tomorrow?

DIL: Anything is okay...

MIL (all excited): How about Poori-Saagu???!!? It's a famous combo in Bangalore, isn't it? I'm sure you have the recipe.... Let's make it tomorrow.

DIL : Sure! ( In her mind: What??!?!?! I can barely make tea/coffee.. How will I make poori saagu??!?!)

Later in the night, DIL digs into her set of recipes that her mom had written down for her and luckily... she finds the Saagu recipe there!!!! She mugs it up thoroughly before going to bed and hopes everything goes well the next morning

Scene II: Next morning in the kitchen....DIL is all nervous and blank. She is just not able to recollect the recipe.....

MIL: Lets start! what all do you need?

DIL: Err.... ummm.... coconut... ummm.... cloves... ummm....

MIL : How much?

DIL (trying to be as vague as possible) : A little.... as much as you would normally use!!!!

MIL: Should I roast them or grind it directly??

DIL: Roast them.... no no.. grind it directly... ummm... Actually, either ways should be fine.

By then, the MIL realizes that the DIL doesn't really know how to make it!!! She goes ahead and makes it herself with whatever little input she got from the DIL.... At the breakfast table, everyone at home seemed to have liked the saagu. MIL was so sweet that she went on telling everyone that it was her DIL who made it!!!!

And yes, you guessed it right!!!! It was me and my MIL that I was talking about all this while............ :)

This episode is the first thing that comes to my mind when I think of Saagu! I have come a long way since then and I have leant to make pretty good saagu now, but I still get embarrassed when I think of that episode.....My FIL still keeps pulling my leg sometimes about this!! :)

Posting this recipe on the request from one of my readers....Poori-Saagu has always been my fav combo. I wonder how I missed posting it all this while.... Thanx for reminding! Anyway, will stop yapping now and head straight to the recipe !

Ingredients:

2 cups Chopped mixed veggies (Beans, carrots, peas, potatoes)

1-2 tsp Oil

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

3-4 Curry leaves

1/2 Onion (finely chopped)

A pinch of Hing

A pinch of turmeric

Salt as per taste

For the Masala:

2 - 3 tbsp Grated coconut

2"-3" Cinnamon stick

5-6 cloves

4-5 Black Peppercorns

2" Fresh Ginger

8-10 Cashews, soaked in warm water for about 15-20 mins

1/2 Onion

2-3 tsp Chana dahlia/ Putaani/Hurigadale

3-4 strands Cilantro

2-3 Green chilies

Method:

1. Cook the veggies with some salt and water until done. You could even pressure cook them if you want.
2. For the masala, grind all the ingredients to a smooth paste with some water. Cashews are added to give thickness to the gravy.
3. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan; Temper with mustard seeds, hing, turmeric, curry leaves.
4. Add finely chopped onions and fry until done; Add cooked veggies and the masala paste.
5. Mix and allow it to boil well; Add salt as required. Add water to get the desired consistency.
6. Remove from stove and serve hot with pooris, dosa, chapati or even rice.

Serves: About 3-4 people

Prep time: about 30-40 mins