Vegetable paaya

Serves -3

Ingredients:

• Potato - 2 nos
• Big onion - 1 no

• Tomato - 1 no (Use 2 if small)
• Turmeric powder - 1/8 tsp
• Red chilli powder - 1 tsp ( I used kashmiri chilli pwd)
• Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
• Mint leaves- for garnish
• Coriander leaves- for garnish
• Salt  - To taste

To saute and grind: paste 1:

• Oil - 1 tsp
• Medium size big onion -1
• Coriander seeds -1&1/2 tsp
• Green chillies -2 to 3

To grind: paste2:

• Coconut -1/4 cup grated
• Fried gram/ pottu kadalai-2  tsp
• Water - as required

To temper:

• Oil - 2 tbsp
• Cinnamon - 1 inch
• Cloves - 2 no
• Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
• Cardamom - 1 no
• Bayleaf - 1 no
• Black stone flower - 1 no
• Fennel seeds - 1/4 tsp

Method:

• Saute the items mentioned under paste 1, grind them with required water and keep it ready.
• Grind and keep the paste two ready.
• Now in a heavy bottomed pan or pressure cooker add oil and mentioned items mentioned under to temper. 
• Then add sliced onion, when onion turns translucent add tomato and saute till tomato gets mushy.
• Add all the spice powder, salt, ground paste 1 and cook till the raw smell disappears.
• Now add cubed potatoes and cook for a min and add required water.
• Close the lid and cook in low flame till done.
• When potatoes are cooked add the paste 2 and cook for 2 more mins. Add required water if necessary.
• If using pressure cooker and the paste 2 and also and pressure cook for 2 to 3 whistles.
• Finally add coriander and mint leaves.
• Serve hot.

Notes:

• The gravy thicken as it cools down so add water accordingly.
• After sauteing paste 1 items you can add coconut and fried gram to it and grind all together as a single paste. It's up to one's convenience.