Saagu, (creamy spicy vegetable broth)

A heavenly treat for the taste buds... eat it once and you will want to make it over and again. Another Karnataka delicacy to tease your taste buds. Goes well with roti or dosa. Best when had with set dosa. shall update the recipe soon. Here goes the recipe.

Prep time - 30 to 40 minutes

Cook time - 20 minutes

Servings - 4 to 6

Ingredients:

1. Mixed vegetables - 2 1/2 to 3 cups, fresh or frozen. (carrots, green beans, peas, potato, cabbage, cauliflower, coyote, green bell pepper/capsicum) all of them or a few of them will work. Cube them small not fine, smaller than bite size but not too small.

2. Onion - (Optional) finely chopped.

For grinding:

1. Poppy seeds - 3tsp

2. Cumin seeds - 2 tsp

3. Cinnamon powder - 1 tsp or small stick of 3 cm.

4. Clove powder - 1/2 tsp or 3 pods

5. Black Pepper whole - 1/2 tsp

6. Roasted split chickpeas(dhalia) - 2 to 3 tsp

7. fresh or frozen coconut scrapings - 1/2 to 3/4 cup

8. Fresh mint - a handful

9. Cilantro - a handful

10. Green chillies - 4 to 5, depending on your taste.

11. Ginger - 1/2 inch piece grated or paste 1 tsp

12. Garlic - 1 pod or 1/2 tsp paste (optional)

For tempering:

1. Oil - 2 tsp

2. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

3. Asafoetida - 2 to 3 pinches

4. Turmeric - 2 pinches

5. Curry leaves - 1 string

Method:

1. make the tempering by heating oil in a pot on medium heat. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter, add the rest of the tempering ingredients to it and saute for 5 seconds.

2. If using onion, add it along with a pinch of salt and saute till it gets transparent. If not, add the vegetables one after the other, saute them till they sweat add a little water so that they move around, not get immeresed, add sufficient salt and close the lid and let them cook.

3. In the mean while, take all the ingredients of grinding in a jar, make a smooth paste and keep aside.

4. once the vegetables have cooked, add the ground masala and cook for 10 more nimutes. Sagu is ready to eat with roti or dosa.

Tips:

1. If the broth gets thin, do not panic, take some chickpea flour and sprinkle it on the cooking saagu and slowly mix it in. make sure not to form lumps. Keep in mind that very little flour can make the broth thick. If you require more, add a little more flour.

2. If the broth gets too thick, simply add water till you get the desired consistency.