Vegetable Jalfrezi is a semi-dry Indian curry made with a tangy, colorful blend of stir fried mixed vegetables cooked in a thick spicy tomato base flavored with various spices.
Mixed veg jalfrezi being a blend of many vegetables and spices is not only a flavorful and colorful food but is also a healthy and nutritious. The intriguing name of this dish evokes interest and it does not disappoint due to its interesting taste and flavor.
Origins of the dish
The word ‘jalfrezi’ is derived from the combination of two words, the Bengali word ‘jhal’ which means spicy food and an adaptation of the Persian word, ‘parhezī’ which means suitable for everyday diet.
Vegetable jalfrezi is prepared by stir-frying ingredients, a technique believed to be introduced in the Indian sub continent by Chinese cuisine and may have originated in the Indian state of Bengal.
Veg jalfrezi can be thought as a mix of Chinese and South Asian cooking techniques. The resulting stir fried veggie combination is thus delicious, crunchy and unique in taste.
Main ingredients in veg jalfrezi
The most important ingredient in mixed vegetable jalfrezi is a generous amount of green chillies which are cooked in a tomato base to prepare a spicy sauce. Onions can also be added to the gravy to give it more bulk.
Although the dish is supposed to be spicy, often a little sugar and cream is also added to the gravy, to make it slightly milder and balance out the flavors.
The choice of vegetables added to the gravy is entirely up to you. I have added potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, green beans and capsicum (bell pepper) to the dish. You can also add other vegetables like peas, baby corn, mushroom or any seasonal vegetables.
Paneer (Indian Cottage Cheese) is also often used in preparation of this dish. There is in fact a popular variant made with just paneer and bell peppers which goes by the name paneer jalfrezi and stands out on its own in popularity.
Serving suggestions
Vegetable jalfrezi can be served with naan, roti or rice for an enjoyable meal. Although being a semi-dry curry, it is best enjoyed with an Indian bread and can be served as a side dish too.
The dish taste absolutely delicious and has a rich look, so it also goes quite well on formal lunches, parties, in restaurants and get-togethers.
To make Vegetable Jalfrezi at home take a look at the video or follow the detailed step by step recipe with photos posted below.
See more related recipes like:
Suggested recipe collections :
- Paneer Recipes | 25 Easy Indian Paneer Recipes
- Carrot Recipes | List of 30 Indian Gajar Recipes
- Potato Recipes | 37 Veg Indian Potato Dishes | Aloo Recipes
- Indian Curry Recipes | List of 36 Indian Vegetarian Gravies
- Indian Sabzi Recipes | 20 Dry Vegetables | Sookhi Sabji
Vegetable Jalfrezi Recipe | Mixed Veg Jalfrezi
Recipe Info
Video
* Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for more videos.
Ingredients For Vegetable Jalfrezi Recipe | Mixed Veg Jalfrezi
- 1 Medium Sized Potato
- 1 Carrot (Gajar)
- 1/2 Cup Cauliflower Florets
- 7-8 Green Beans
- 1/2 Cup Green Capsicum (Bell Pepper / Shimla Mirch)
- 1/2 Cup Paneer sliced
- 3 Medium Sized Tomatoes
- 1/4 Cup Coriander Leaves (Cilantro or Dhaniya)
- 1-2 Green Chillies
- 1 Inch Piece of Ginger
- 8-10 Curry Leaves (Kadi Patta)
- 2 Tablespoons Cream or 1/4 Cup Milk
- 1 Teaspoon Rai (Black Mustard Seeds)
- 1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder (Haldi)
- 1/2 Teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon Coriander Powder (Dhaniya Powder)
- 1/2 Teaspoon Garam Masala
- 1 Teaspoon Salt or to taste
- 1/2 Teaspoon Sugar
- 1/2 Tablespoon Besan (Gram Flour)
- 1 Tablespoon Cooking Oil
Step By Step Instructions for Vegetable Jalfrezi Recipe | Mixed Veg Jalfrezi
- Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds to it. When the mustard seeds start to crackle, add finely chopped ginger, slit green chillies and curry leaves.
- Then add red chilli powder and turmeric powder (haldi) to pan and stir for a few seconds to roast the spices.1/2 Teaspoon Red Chilli Powder, 1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder (Haldi)
- Add diced tomatoes to the pan.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes till the tomatoes become soft.
- Then add cauliflower florets along with green beans, carrots and potatoes cut into batons.
- Add 1 cup of water, then cover with a lid and cook the vegetables for 6-7 minutes. The vegetables should not be overcooked and still retain a bite in this recipe.
- Then add thinly sliced capsicum (bell pepper) and paneer batons to the gravy.
- Add some cream or milk and mix well with the gravy.2 Tablespoons Cream
- Then add coriander powder (dhania), garam masala, salt and sugar.1/2 Teaspoon Coriander Powder (Dhaniya Powder), 1/2 Teaspoon Garam Masala
- Also add besan (gram flour) to the gravy. Besan helps absorb the water to make a semi dry gravy.1/2 Tablespoon Besan (Gram Flour)
- Mix to combine all ingredients and cook for 2-3 of minutes.
- Add chopped coriander leaves to the gravy.
- Veg Jalfrezi is ready. Serve it hot with any Indian bread like roti, naan or puri.
Before You Go...
Don't forget to Pin this post to save it for later. You can also Subscribe to our mailing list or follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram or Twitter to see more delicious food recipes.
We'd love to know your thoughts about this dish! Please leave a comment or share a picture on Facebook or Instagram with the hashtag #vegecravings.