Kadai vegetable recipe is an easy restaurant style side dish you can make at home too! Chock full of slightly sauteed mix veggies are simmered in tomato gravy, seasoned with fresh kadai masala here. Serve this vegetable kadai with hot butter naan, soft phulka or even mild jeera rice for a comforting meal. Here is an easy step by step kadai vegetable recipe for you all to try!
What Is Kadai Vegetable?
Vegetable kadai is typical restaurant style side dish made with mixed vegetables. Kadai recipes are very popular in Indian restaurants. Kadai chicken is most sought after side dish while vegetarians can enjoy kadai paneer, kadai mushroom, kadai vegetables.
This curry gets its name as the whole recipe is made in a thick cast iron kadai or wok. You also need to prepare a special dry spice blend known as kadai masala for this recipe.
You basically saute the veggies first then simmer them tomato gravy and finish with a generous dose of kasuri methi in this recipe. The finished curry is bold, flavorful, slightly spicy and finger licking good!
Serve kadai vegetable hot with butter naan, jeera rice or steamed basmati rice. Vegetable kadai with chapathi is also a very good combination.
This Kadai Vegetables Recipe Is
Absolutely delicious & flavorful
Better than the ones from takeaways with fresh flavors
Contains a truckload of veggies
Gluten free & Vegetarian
Can be made vegan by skipping fresh cream.
Moderately spiced & kids friendly.
I first tasted vegetable kadai in a restaurant in Bangalore. I ordered it as I wanted to try something other than paneer butter masala. On tasting I was totally blown away by the taste and flavor. It was spicier and flavorful, which I absolutely loved. This was long ago though.
Eventually I picked up this recipe from a Punjabi cookbook when I started to cook. Over the years I have perfected this recipe and this is the best one for you to try out!
Few other delicious restaurant style curries I make at home are
How To Make Kadai Masala At Home?
Kadai masala is a dry spice blend that you can use in various recipes along with this vegetable kadai. This is a very potent spice powder that will perk up the flavor of any Indian curry. While it is easily available in stores, nothing like fresh homemade one.
To make kadai masala at home dry roast 1 tablespoon coriander seeds, 2 teaspoons cumin seeds and 6 dried Kashmiri red chilies well. Cool and grind to a fine powder. Store in airtight container. You can store this masala easily for a month.
Other Ingredients For Vegetable Kadai
- Mixed veggies- You can use a mix of potatoes, green bell pepper, carrot, french beans, cauliflower. You can also use baby corn and green peas. While green bell pepper is a must, I do not prefer to use red or yellow pepper as they lend a mild sweetness to the gravy.
- Tomato gravy- The tomato gravy base is made with tomatoes.
- Seasoning- Along with kadai masala I like to add a dash of garam masala, turmeric powder in this recipe.
- Fresh cream- A small amount of fresh cream as finishing rounds off and balances the curry along with adding richness.
How To Make Kadai Vegetable?
For making kadai vegetable begin with the preparation of kadai masala. Next we need to prep the veggies. Clean and chop the veggies into batons or cubes. I like to saute the veggies in some butter or oil instead of steaming them. if you prefer you can steam them too before adding to the gravy.
To make the tomato base blend the tomatoes into a smooth paste.
To make vegetable kadai masala heat oil or butter in a pan. Temper with bay leaf and cloves. Add chopped onions and saute till soft. Add the tomato puree and saute well. Next add the spice powders and saute well till tomato is well cooked. Next we add the prepared kadai masala and cook well for 5-6 minutes.
Now add the sauteed veggies and mix well. Add required water and salt. Simmer till the gravy reaches required consistency. Add kasuri methi and mix well. Finish with a dollop of fresh cream, mix well and serve 🙂
Can You Make Kadai Vegetable Without Onion Garlic?
Yes, to make veg kadai without onion and garlic just exclude and proceed with the recipe as such. To compensate the flavor you can slightly increase the seasoning though.
How To Make Vegetable Kadai Dry?
The recipe of veg kadai shared here is gravy dish. To make this as a semi dry curry just leave out water after adding tomato puree. Saute the tomato puree well till fat releases from the sides. Add the sauteed vegetables to this kadai masala and toss well.
How To Make Vegan Kadai Vegetable?
The recipe as such it is vegan except the fresh cream we add for garnish and butter used for sauteing the vegetables. Just use oil for sauteing the veggies and leave out the fresh cream to male vegan veg kadai curry.
Tips For Making Best Kadai Vegetable Recipe At Home?
Try to use kashmiri red chili for kadai masala as it lends a vibrant color along with reduced heat.
While making kadai masala you can add whole spices like clove, cardamom for more flavor.
Do not use vegetables like cabbage, zucchini, eggplant in this recipe
We like a thick curry at our home. Adjust the quantity of water for more gravy.
If you do not have kadai use a thick pan or pot.
How To Make Kadai Vegetable Recipe Step by Step
Making kadai masala powder.
First of all dry roast the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, dried red chilies well.
Cool and grind to a fine powder.
Preparing vegetables:
Clean, peel and chop the veggies into batons or cubes.
Heat 1 tablespoon butter or oil in a kadai. Add the cut veggies, 2 tablespoons prepared kadai masala and saute well for 7-8 minutes. The veggies should wilt and shrink. Remove to a plate and set aside.
Puree two large tomatoes. Chop onions finely.
Making Kadai Vegetable Gravy:
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a kadai or thick pan.
Temper with bay leaf and cloves. Next add finely chopped onions and saute a bit.
Add minced ginger-garlic and saute till the raw smell goes off.
Next add the tomato puree and saute well.
Add garam masala powder, turmeric powder and mix well.
Add the remaining kadai masala and mix well.
Saute till the tomatoes are well cooked and mushy.
Now add the sauteed veggies and mix well. Add about 2 cups water and required salt. Simmer till the gravy thickens for about 6-7 minutes.
Add crushed kasuri methi and mix well.
Simmer for just a minute.
Remove from flame and serve kadai vegetable hot.
More Indian curry recipes you might like
I hope you will try this bhindi masala recipe and enjoy as much as we did. P
Kadai Vegetable Recipe
Kadai Vegetable Recipe Restaurant Style
1 CUP = 250 ml
Ingredients
For kadai masala
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
- 4-6 dried red chilies
For Veg kadai gravy
- 1/2 cup peeled and chopped potatoes
- 1/2 cup peeled and chopped carrots
- 1/3 cup chopped french beans
- 1/3 cup cauliflower florets
- 1/3 cup green peas
- 1/2 cup cubed bell pepper
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cloves
- 1 big onion chopped
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger-garlic or ginger garlic paste
- 2 big tomatoes pureed
- 1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- Salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon kasuri methi
Instructions
Making kadai masala powder.
- First of all dry roast the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, dried red chilies well.
- Cool and grind to a fine powder.
Preparing vegetables:
- Clean, peel and chop the veggies into batons or cubes.
- Heat 1 tablespoon butter or oil in a kadai. Add the cut veggies, 2 tablespoons prepared kadai masala and saute well for 7-8 minutes. The veggies should wilt and shrink. Remove to a plate and set aside.
- Puree two large tomatoes. Chop onions finely.
Making Kadai Vegetable Gravy:
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a kadai or thick pan.
- Temper with bay leaf and cloves. Next add finely chopped onions and saute a bit.
- Add minced ginger-garlic and saute till the raw smell goes off.
- Next add the tomato puree and saute well. Add garam masala powder, turmeric powder and mix well.
- Add the remaining kadai masala and mix well. Saute till the tomatoes are well cooked and mushy.
- Now add the sauteed veggies and mix well. Add about 2 cups water and required salt. Simmer till the gravy thickens for about 6-7 minutes.
- Add crushed kasuri methi and mix well. Add fresh cream, mix well and simmer for just a minute. Remove from flame and serve kadai vegetable hot.
Notes
Nutrition
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Kumari says
Hi Harini, thanks for sharing such popular recipes. I love to recreate restaurant style curries and tried out kadai veg from your blog. Turned out very tasty and perfect. Can I add mushrooms in this recipe? Do you have a recipe for kaali dal?
Dhwani says
The best best best veg kadai recipe I have ever tried. Turned out so flavorful and delicious, have made a good stock of your kadai masala recipe too. Thank you so much
veena says
it’s very tasty . easy to make as well
Harini says
thank you so much!
Anne says
What can you use instead of cream in kadai vegetable receipe
Harini says
You can use cashew paste or just leave it out.
sne3103 says
How much fresh cream is to be used?
Elke Speliopoulos says
This was absolutely delicious! My German mouth is on fire – as is my American husband‘s 🙂 , but oh, so good! Thank you!