Veg chilli milli is a delicious restaurant style mixed vegetable gravy from North India. It is a bit spicy, rich, very flavorful and delicious with naan, paratha, kulcha, jeera rice recipes. Vegan and gluten free!
For more North Indian side dish recipes please check veg kadai, veg makhanwala, aloo beans, aloo shimla mirch, palak paneer recipes.
About This Recipe
Veg chilli milii is a variation of mixed veg curry very popular in India. It is a finger licking good curry with assorted vegetables like cabbage, bell pepper, baby corn, peas cooked in a creamy tomato and cashew based gravy.
This curry is not as spicy as the name suggests, I guess it gets the name from the addition of capsicum just like chilli paneer, chilli potato etc.
If you want to make this curry spicy you can go ahead and make it as spicy as you want but here I have made it moderately spicy and super flavorful.
This easy mixed vegetable curry tastes good with phulka, butter roti, naan or plain basmati rice. Add a simple salad like kosambari or kachumber and some yogurt or raita for complete meal.
This is a vegan and gluten free curry naturally, all the rich taste and creamy texture is from cashew nuts only.
Why This Recipe Works?
We first tasted this curry in Kailash Parbat restaurant many years back and have been a fan ever since. I found it very unique with addition of cabbages.
Then once we had this curry in a buffet and I got the recipe jotted down from the chef there. It was so good with ghee smeared phulkas.
Even though the name mentions chilli, this curry is not spicy at all. In fact it is slightly tangy from tomatoes and has that sweet taste from cashew paste.
If you have tasted this curry in restaurants and trying to recreate it at home, I am sure you will love this recipe.
This recipe is straight from a chef who is very experienced in north Indian cuisine and I can vouch for its taste.
Next this is a super easy to make recipe too. Apart from making tomato puree and cashew nut paste, there is no much work involved to make veg chilli milli.
Ingredients
Vegetables– You can use a mix of three or more vegetables to make veg chilli milli. Usually we use cabbages, capsicum or bell peppers and carrots. I have also added some baby corns, peas and a handful of fresh methi leaves.
I have used a mix of green yellow and red bell peppers,. You can just green ones alone too.
For this curry you can also add cauliflower, broccoli, potatoes, beans and mushrooms.
Gravy base– the base of this curry or gray is pureed tomatoes and cashew paste. We will add tomato puree and cashew paste at two different stages. Keep them separate.
Spice powders– The usual spice powders used in Indian curries are used here too. You will need red chili powder, ground turmeric, ground coriander and bit of garam masala powder. Instead of garam masala you can also use whole spices. See notes for details.
Other ingredients- Salt, green chilies, ginger garlic paste or freshly minced ginger garlic, kasoori methi etc.
How To Make Veg Chilli Milii
Preparation
Soak 15 whole cashews in 1/4 cup warm water for 20 minutes. Puree 2 large tomatoes smoothly and set aside.
Next prepare the vegetables- shred 1/2 of a small cabbage about 1/2 cup. Chop carrot 1 into batons about 1/2 cup. Chop bell peppers into strips about 3/4 cup and chop 4 baby corns into strips too. Shell the green peas and set aside.
Next chop onion 1 thinly.
Making veg chilli milli
Heat oil in a heavy pan. Add 1 bay leaf, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, 2 slit green chilies and saute well for 30 seconds. Add finely chopped onions and saute till they turn a bit soft. Now add the ginger garlic paste or freshly mined ginger and garlic. Saute for a minute.
Add cleaned methi leaves if using along with green peas. Saute well for a minute.
Add the prepared tomato puree and mix.
Add spice powders namely ground turmeric, kashmiri red chilli powder, ground coriander and garam masala. Mix well and cook. Cook for around 6-7 minutes or until tomatoes are thoroughly cooked.
Add the chopped vegetables and mix. Add salt to taste.
Next add 1.5 cups water and bring to a boil.
Add cashew paste and mix. Simmer for 3-4 minutes until the gravy thickens.
Finally add kasoori methi and mix well. Remove from flame. Veg chilli milli is ready.
Serving Suggestions
This veg chilli milli curry tastes best with any Indian breads like naan, kulcha, butter naan, paratha, roti etc.
It also tastes good with plain rice, jeera rice, peas pulao.
More Delicious Recipes
I hope you will try this recipe and enjoy as much as we did. P
Veg Chilli Milii
1 CUP = 250 ml
Ingredients
- 15 cashew nuts soaked in warm water
- 2.5 cups tomato puree from 3 large tomatoes
- 1/2 cup cabbage shredded
- 1/2 cup carrot cut into batons
- 3/4 cup bell peppers cut into strips
- 1/2 cup green peas
- 1/2 cup methi leaves optional
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 green chilies slit
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste or freshly minced
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder
- salt to taste
- 2 teaspoons kasoori methi
Instructions
- First of all soak 15 cashews in warm water for 20 minutes and grind to a smooth paste. Next puree 3 large tomatoes and measure 2.5 cups of it.
- To make the curry, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a pan. Add 1 bay leaf, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, 2 slit green chilies and saute well for 30 seconds. Add finely chopped onions and saute till they turn a bit soft. Now add the ginger garlic paste or freshly mined ginger and garlic.
- Saute for a minute. Add cleaned methi leaves if using along with green peas. Saute well for a minute.
- Add the prepared tomato puree and mix.
- Add spice powders namely ground turmeric, kashmiri red chilli powder, ground coriander and garam masala. Mix well and cook. Cook for around 6-7 minutes or until tomatoes are thoroughly cooked.
- Add the chopped vegetables and mix. Add salt to taste.
- Next add 1.5 cups water and bring to a boil.
- Add cashew paste and mix. Simmer for 3-4 minutes until the gravy thickens.
- Finally add kasoori methi and mix well. Remove from flame. Veg chilli milli is ready.
Notes
Serving Suggestions
- This veg chilli milli curry tastes best with any Indian breads like naan, kulcha, butter naan, paratha, roti etc.
- It also tastes good with plain rice, jeera rice, peas pulao.
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