Mixed Vegetable Stir-Fry (Bachelors' Cooking)

And as my young son starts his life on his own, I do hope some of these recipes help him to enjoy cooking with his friends and colleagues.

So here is one of your favourite stir fries...the choice of veggies is yours and that of your friends'. Mama usually prepares your favourite combo of mushrooms, baby corn, paneer/tofu/cottage cheese, bell pepper and onions.

You can mix and match ensuring that you do not overcook anything and do not add excess water to help in the cooking process. Try to let the veggies cook in a wok/saucepan under a lid in that steam. Let the veggies remain as crunchy as possible. Remember mushrooms give out its own water.

In this stir-fry recipe mama has used florets of cauliflower. I have blanched them first which simply means, cooking them as florets in boiling water with a dash of salt in it and then switch it off once boiled and drain them in a colander. You may run some cold water over it or leave it in the colander like so. Blanching cauliflowers or broccoli like so also helps in removing the stubborn worms/insects that one may find hiding within the whole flower.

NOTE:- If you are blanching any spinach/greens/palak, you can do them in a similar manner and then extract the spinach/palak with the helps of tongs and place them in cold water. This helps to stop the palak from cooking any further and to retain its rich green colour.

Next for this stir-fry, I have used beans, carrots and an onion. Try to chop them all in a similar manner to help in even cooking. But you can see I have done a random cut with the veggies just to give it that rough appearance which I adore.

In a saucepan/wok add a drizzle of oil, splutter a tsp. of mustard, followed by cumin seeds, then throw in the roughly sliced onions, once that browns a bit add a tsp. of turmeric powder and a tbsp. of any of your favourite spice powder (vegetable mix/chicken spice powder) Sauté it well, stir it well and then add in the veggies that you have decided for this dish.

I have used this Prawns chamandhy powder. Please feel free to use any spice of your choice. Stir through very well, close the lid and let the veggies cook in its own steam. Try not adding any water but if you feel it requires a bit then do carefully add. Once you feel the veggies have cooked, throw in the set aside drained cauliflower. Add salt properly keeping in mind that the cauliflower was blanched in salted water and the spice seen here already has its own salt as a preservative. So please taste and add accordingly.

 I removed the lid and allowed it to cook through. Do adjust the flame accordingly. Finish your stir fry with a few crushed dry kasuri methi leaves (optional) If you do not have that, just garnish it with finely chopped coriander leaves.

 To be had hot as a side dish with a bowl of white rice or rotis.

To make it richer you can cook it with cashew paste and add cream. I haven't!