Potato and Green Peas Stew | Simple Vegetable Stew | Ready in 30 mins!

 

The instant I slurped my first spoonful of stew... slurrrrp... slurrrrp....SLURPPP...

 

It was love. Oh, I just knew.

 

From then on there is no looking back. I love it with rice. I love it with Appam or Idiyappam. I love it with chapatis/rotis. Oh I just LOVE it!

 

There something divinely inviting about this coconut milk based vegetarian side dish... (Oh, there are non-vegetarian options as well, its just that I prefer this veggie one)... it makes you want more and more of it.

 

And there are those several instances, when the main dish along which it is served has been swept clean, and I just continue slurping away the stew all by itself. Yummilicous!

 

 

I must confess, I have not really made stew at home too often. In fact, I have made it just once long back and it was such an ellaborate process. I followed the recipe from a book.

 

What??!! Made just once and I say I am insanely in love with it? Makes you wonder why right? Well, made me wonder too... and that is how this recipe was born!!

 

Stew has been a favourite order of mine, at some of the restaurants that we frequented over the last few years. I enjoyed eating it out there that never did the thought occur to me to try making my own!!

 

But am glad the thought did finally decide to come by and gladder still that I being me looked for the easiest possible way to create the stew. And ever since the first attempt, I have made it over and again.

 

So here it is - my simple vegetable stew. This gets done in less than 30 minutes and yes.... we LOVED it better than the one at the restaurant... Yay!

 

Sigh, the restaurant loses one loyal stew-customer!

 

I kept mine simple, with minimal veggies as I wanted to give centre stage to the heavenly flavour of the coconut milk. You can add in anything else you fancy and make it as colourful as you like. As for my family... we are delighted with just potatoes and green peas :) 

 

Serves: 2

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

 

 



Ingredients

Potato - 5-6 small, boiled and diced
Onion - 2, finely sliced
Green Peas - 1/4 cup
Green Chillies - 2, chopped
Cloves - 3-4
Cinnamon Stick - 1
Bay Leaf - 1
Coconut Oil - 2-3 tbsp
Curry Leaves - a few
Coconut Milk - 200ml/1 cup
Water -  a little
Salt - as needed

 



Method

Take a skillet and heat the coconut oil in it. Toss in the cloves, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, green chillies and onions and saute for until the onions turn golden brown.

Add in the diced potatoes and after mixing it well, allow it to roast up a little.

Now, throw in the green peas and salt. Stir a little to incorporate all the ingredients. Allow the mixture to cook on medium flame.

After about 3-4 minutes, add in the coconut milk and stir well. You may add in a little bit of water if you feel the consistency is too thick. And remember, the consistency of the stew will thicken up after a while due to the coconut milk. Hence, if eating it later, add a bit of water to it at this stage.

Do not keep the flame burning for too long after the coconut milk is added in, as the oil from the coocnut tends to ooze out upon constant heating. So, switch off the stove and keep the skillet covered.

In another little pan, heat a tsp of coconut oil and toss in some curry leaves. Once they sizzle in the hot oil, switch off the stove and transfer the coconut oil and curry leaves over the stew as a garnish.

While serving, sprinkle some crushed pepper over the stew and serve warm!