Gujarati (Kathiyawadi) style Mixed Vegetable Subji

Summer time is especially a vegetable lovers delight at least here in the US. If you have a little bit of interest and make some effort in preparing a garden vegetable bed, growing vegetables is an easy task mostly. Most vegetables need between 50-90 days to mature and produce fruit. If you have doubt you can always turn to Dr.Google or Dr.YouTube and they will have some diagnosis or remedy for what ails your garden.

I hadn't watched all that much YouTube before the year but started with a bout of sickness beginning of the year and again with this lockdown and being shutin watching YouTube has increased exponentially. Anything that had to with permaculture, soil conservation, water conservation and farming I have watched it. I have run out of videos on the subject in Tamil and English, but of course there are several other languages that I still haven't :)

If you ask ne what my favorite find is? Hyundai Country Calendar, a long running NewZealand TV show about farmers in that country. The other one is a TED talk by Ron Finely also known as the guerilla gardner that I have listened to many times and continue to do, because it is hopeful and inspiring to hear him talk.

During one such forays I chanced on the cooking videos of Nikunj Vasoya who cooks in a field sorrounded by lush greenery and calls of birds in the background. Here's the video.

I decided to try this recipe as I was harvesting the very same vegetables that were being used in the recipe. For the one or two veggies that I did not have I used equivalents that I had available. I am proud to say that everything that went into this came from the farm including the onions and garlic :)

Here is the recipe in pictures,

Cut the long beans and cluster beans.
Shell the val beans and cut the brinjal.
Slice the potatoes. Heat oil in a wide mouthed pan season with cumin seeds, followed by onions, garlic and green chilies.
Add in the beans, potatoes and then the val beans.
Add in the brinjal and saute till the vegetables are almost cooked.
Add in the tomatoes and salt and finish cooking when the vegetables are completely cooked.

Gujarati Mixed Vegetable Subji
Preparation Time:20 minutes
Cooking Time:25 minutes
Ingredients

1. Long Beans - karamani kai (1/4 - 1/2 cup of cut beans)
2. Cluster Beans - kothavarangai (1/4 - 1/2 cup of cut beans)
3. 2 medium sized Potatoes - sliced into thin half moons
4. 4-5 eggplants Slit lengthwise and cut to small 1/2 inch pieces
5. 1/2 cup of val beans (mochai payar) - substitute with peas
6. 1/2 cup of onions chopped fine (I used shallots)
7. 2 tomatoes chopped
8. 4 green chilie chopped
9. 3 garlic cloves finely chopped
10. 1tbsp grated fresh ginger (optional)
11. salt to taste
12. seasonings : cumin seeds
13. 2 tsp oil

Method

1. In a wide mouthed pan, heat oil and when hot add cumin seeds. Let it roast for a few seconds.
2. Add the garlic, green chilies and onions and saute till the onions start to change color.
3. Add the cut long beans, cluster beans and saute for 3-4 minutes.
4. Add in the potatoes and saute for a couple of minutes.
5. Add the mochai or val beans and saute for a couple more minutes.
6. Add the brinjal and cook for 6-9 minutes, till the eggplant is completely and so are the rest of the vegetables.
7. Add chopped tomatoes and salt and cook for another 4-5 minutes.

Serve a side for any flat bread or as a veggie roll with some lettuce and fresh chopped tomatoes.

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