Vegetable chettinad is a flavourful vegan Indian curry made with homemade chettinad masala. It is a perfect dish to pair with chapati or rice and makes a wholesome midweek dinner.
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Chettinad cuisine is well known for its culinary delicacies. Though the spices used in different dishes are all the same, the aroma, flavour and taste they offer to the dish are extremely different.
Chettinad masala is an essential spice blend used in this cuisine made with various spices such as poppy seeds, kalpasi, peppercorn, cloves, cassia and either freshly grated coconut or desiccated coconut for longer shelf life. This spice blend provides intense flavour to the dish and one can feel the pronounced depth of flavours and aroma.
This mixed vegetable curry is so simple to make with less effort and gets ready in less than an hour if you have premade Chettinad masala on hand. It makes a good vegan weeknight dinner and goes well with any flatbread, plain rice and mildly flavoured rice.
This authentic south Indian vegetable curry is a great dish to have on curry night if you are looking to try new culinary delicacies rather than having a regular paneer curry such as paneer makhani, malai matar paneer, paneer jalfrezi, kadai paneer or methi malai paneer.
Ensure to have jugs of chilled mango lassi, rose lassi or masala lassi to cater for the guests who are not accustomed to spicy food. For vegan guests serve chilled simple lemonade or flavoured mango lemonade. These Indian drinks help soothe and minimise the burning sensation.
Ingredients
Whole and Dry Spices: Dried red chillies, cumin, turmeric, red chilli powder, salt and chettinad masala. Check out the homemade chettinad masala recipe.
Vegetables: Onion, tomato, curry leaves, coriander, carrot, green beans, green chillies, green peas, potatoes, ginger-garlic paste.
Liquid: Oil and water to cook curry.
How to make chettinad vegetable curry?
Heat the oil in a skillet or deep bottomed pan over medium heat, add the cumin and let it crackle.
Now add the red chillies, curry leaves and sauté until they release a strong aroma.
Add the onion, sauté and cook them for 2 minutes or until they are soft and lightly brown, stirring occasionally.
Now add the ginger-garlic paste, green chilli, sauté well and cook until the raw aroma of ginger and garlic vanishes.
Add the tomatoes, sauté and cook for 2 minutes or until the tomatoes are soft.
Now add vegetables, turmeric, chilli powder, Chettinad masala, salt, mix until all the ingredients are well combined.
Add water, mix well, close and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until vegetables are completely cooked.
Finally, add the coriander leaves, mix well and turn the heat off.
Serve this incredibly delicious vegetable chettinad curry with rice, chapati or naan.
Variations and Substitutions
Spiciness: Adjust chillies and chettinad masala to suit your palate.
More Vegetables: Feel free to use cauliflower, cabbage or any vegetables of your choice. This chettinad curry recipe is best for using up leftover vegetables from the fridge that otherwise would end up in a bin!
Liquid: Water could be substituted with vegetable stock for added flavour.
Paneer: It makes an amazing addition. Either add paneer cubes to this curry at the end or make paneer chettinad without any vegetables.
Coconut milk: It could be used instead of water for a creamy texture and flavour. It also reduces the spiciness of the curry.
Serving Suggestions
This mixed vegetable chettinad curry pairs well with chapati, paratha or naan.
For a typical South Indian thali, serve it with plain rice, mango dal, a simple side dish such as kohlrabi curry or drumstick leaves curry, an accompaniment such as mango thokku or pachadi, rasam, yogurt and papad.
It goes well with mildly flavoured rice dishes such as saffron rice, peas pulao and jeera rice.
Storage
The leftover curry stays good for 2-3 days in the fridge if stored properly in a clean airtight container.
How to make mixed vegetable curry in an instant pot?
Gather all the ingredients and keep them on the kitchen platform and prep the vegetables.
Plug in an instant pot and press the "sauté" button.
Heat the oil in an inner pot, once hot add cumin and sauté for a minute until it turns aromatic.
Now add the red chillies, curry leaves and sauté until they release a strong aroma.
Add the onion and cook until the onion turns soft and translucent.
Now add the ginger-garlic paste, green chilli, sauté and cook until the raw aroma of ginger and garlic vanishes.
Add the chopped tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes are soft.
Now add vegetables, turmeric, chilli powder, Chettinad masala, salt and mix until all the ingredients are well combined.
Add water and stir. Deglaze the pot well.
Press the cancel button.
Close the pot with a lid, press the "pressure cook/manual" button, and set the timer to 1 minute at high pressure.
Move the pressure valve to the "seal" position.
After the set timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally (NPR) for 10 minutes and then move the pressure valve to the "vent" position. Press the cancel button or switch the instant pot power off.
Once the pressure is completely released and the knob next to the pressure valve goes down, take the lid off the pot.
Add coriander and stir well.
Enjoy the spicy vegetable curry with rice or flatbread of your choice.
Note: Cook on saute mode for a few minutes stirring regularly to thicken the curry.
FAQ
Yes, this curry could be stored in the freezer to use on a hectic weekday or on lazy days when you are not in the mood to spend excess time in the kitchen. Make a big batch ahead of time. Once the curry cools down, divide it into required portions in freezer-safe containers and store them in the freezer.
Defrost: Thaw the vegetable curry the night before you plan to consume it. Take a portion out of the freezer and pop it in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave or in a saucepan on the stovetop until piping hot.
Chettinad cuisine is well-known for its intricate mix of flavours. The most defining aspect of this cuisine is the use of various essential spices. Perhaps this cuisine is often misunderstood as being chilli hot, but the truth is that each dish is filled with a rich flavour created by the mixture of spices.
KEEP IN TOUCH
Do let me know if you try this simple vegetable chettinad recipe. If you like this recipe kindly consider rating it using stars in the comment section or on the recipe card to help more people find this recipe online. You can stay up to date by following me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram or subscribing to my Youtube channel. Or why not subscribe to my blog and get simple recipes straight to your inbox?
📖 Recipe Card
Vegetable Chettinad Curry
Ingredients
1 Cup = 250ml ; 1 Tablespoon = 15ml ; 1 Teaspoon = 5ml
- 4 Teaspoon Oil
- 1 Teaspoon Cumin
- 2 Dried red chillies broken into 2-3 pieces
- 1 Green chillies chopped
- few Curry leaves
- 2 medium (or) 1 cup Onion chopped
- 1 large (or) ¾ cup Tomato chopped
- 1 Teaspoon Ginger garlic paste
- 3 medium (or) 1 cup Carrot cut into 2 inch long slices
- 14 (or) 1 cup Beans cut into 2 inch long slices
- ½ cup Green peas
- 2 medium (or) 1 cup Potato cut into cubes
- pinch Turmeric
- 1 Teaspoon Chilli powder adjust to taste
- 2 Teaspoon Chettinad masala
- Salt as required
- 1.5 cups Water
- Handful Coriander leaves
Instructions
- Heat oil in a skillet or heavy pan over medium heat, add cumin and let it crackle.4 Teaspoon Oil, 1 Teaspoon Cumin
- Now add red chillies, curry leaves and sauté until red chillies release strong aroma.2 Dried red chillies, 1 Green chillies, few Curry leaves
- Add onion, sauté and cook for 2 minutes or until onions are soft and light brown stirring occasionally.2 medium (or) 1 cup Onion
- Now add ginger garlic paste, green chillies, sauté well and cook until raw aroma of ginger garlic vanishes.1 Teaspoon Ginger garlic paste
- Add tomatoes, sauté and cook for 2 minutes or until tomatoes are soft.1 large (or) ¾ cup Tomato
- Now add vegetables, turmeric, chilli powder, chettinad masala, salt, mix until all ingredients are well combined.3 medium (or) 1 cup Carrot, 14 (or) 1 cup Beans, ½ cup Green peas, 2 medium (or) 1 cup Potato, pinch Turmeric, 1 Teaspoon Chilli powder, 2 Teaspoon Chettinad masala, Salt
- Add water mix well, close and simmer for another 10-15 minutes or until vegetables are completely cooked.1.5 cups Water
- Finally add coriander leaves, mix well and turn off the heat.Handful Coriander leaves
- Serve incredibly delicious vegetable chettinad curry with rice, chapathi, naan.
Notes
Nutrition
More South Indian Recipes
More Curry Recipes
Welcome to Flavours Treat. I share vegetarian recipes made with wholesome, mostly fresh ingredients. Every recipe has easy-to-follow instructions with process shots (detailed step-wise pictures), a short video and lots of tips to help your cooking journey. Read more
Anne Lawton says
This looks like one big bowl of delicious!
Geetha Priyanka says
Yes it is. I hope you like this dish.
Kate says
I love a good, spicy curry! Can't wait to try this!
Geetha Priyanka says
I am pleased to know you like spicy curry. I would love to know how you enjoyed this dish.
Renu says
The chettinad vegan curry looks yum and delicious. such a flavourful curry.
Geetha Priyanka says
Indeed it is flavourful and delicious curry that is quick and easy to make as well.
Cheese Curd In Paradise says
I will take a spicy curry like this one any day of the week! It sounds great!
Geetha Priyanka says
Glad to know you like spicy curry.
Erin Vasicek says
I love how bright all the vegetable colors are
Geetha Priyanka says
Yes!!! It is one of the bright and colourful curry that is tasty and healthy.
Sue Lau says
You had me with the curry leaves and chilli right on top. Full of flavor!
Geetha Priyanka says
Indeed it is full of flavours.
Farrah says
I am all about curry and this looks absolutely amazing! You've got me craving Indian cuisine so much now!
Geetha Priyanka says
I am so pleased to know you like Indian cuisine.
Colleen - Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck says
I can only begin to guess how amazing this dish tastes! I love how vibrant it is
!
Geetha Priyanka says
Yes it is indeed tasty and healthy too. Thank you
Wendy Klik says
I can almost smell that dish. Great photos. My stomach is rumbling.
Geetha Priyanka says
Thanks a lot. Wish I could serve you this dish!!!
Lexi says
Such a colorful and delicious sounding dish! Can't wait to try this.
Geetha Priyanka says
Indeed it is delicious. I would love to know how you liked this curry.
Valentina | The Baking Fairy says
What a delicious, aromatic dish! I love all the different spices and veggies that are in here. Thank you so much for participating in my Vegan event! <3
Geetha Priyanka says
I am glad you like this dish. I am happy to be a part of this amazing event. Thanks for organising it.
Heather @ Join Us, Pull up a Chair says
I've never had curry before, but it looks really delicious!
Geetha Priyanka says
Thank you. Hope you like it.
Lisa Kerhin says
I love the spice in this recipe! My family loves their food spicy, this would be perfect
Geetha Priyanka says
If you love spicy food I am sure you love this curry as well.
Karen says
That's gorgeous. It's like eating the rainbow!! Love all of the spices.
Geetha Priyanka says
Isn't it how we like our food to be, also this curry is enough to fix a days veggie.
Lindsay @ The Live-In Kitchen says
I love how colorful this is!
Geetha Priyanka says
Indeed it is colourful and tasty as well.
Caroline says
I love the sound of all the tasty veg and spices in this dish - perfect for a cold day as well.
Geetha Priyanka says
I totally agree with you, it is a perfect dish to enjoy on cold days.