Khad ki Sabzi: Yam, Carrot, Potato Medley

I normally steer clear of over-the-top superlatives, but I have to make an exception for khad ki sabzi – this is truly THE BEST recipe I have discovered in a long time. A few simple vegetables cooked in ghee and lemon juice – and the effect is magic!

The source of the recipe is Aditya Bal’s TV show Kachcha Rasta in which the host travels to small towns across India, chats up with the locals and learns of their traditional recipes. Khad ki sabzi  featured in an episode about food from Rajasthan. Large chunks of vegetables cooking in a huge pan on a wood fire, in the open – that visual piqued my interest enough to make me want to make it myself (never mind that I neither have that huge a pan nor a wood fire at my disposal).

Well, here is the result, and the recipe of khad ki sabzi. May I say that again – it is a beauty.

You Need:

• Yam – 250 grams
• Carrots – 250 grams
• Potatoes – 100 grams
• Onion – 1
• Lemon – Enough to give 1/2 tablespoon of juice
• Salt – to taste
• Red chili powder – 1 teaspoon
• Turmeric powder – 1/4 teaspoon
• Green chilies – 2
• Garlic – 8 cloves
• Asafoetida – 1/2 teaspoon
• Coriander seeds – 1 teaspoon
• Cumin seeds – 1 teaspoon
• Ghee – 1 tablespoon

The original recipe called for more ghee and potatoes. I have halved the quantities here. The original also used fresh coriander leaves, which isn’t in season right now so I skipped it. I would add coriander leaves if making this in the winter.

How To Make Khad ki Sabzi:

Peel/scrape yam, potato, carrots and onion.

Chop them into equal-sized largeish (about 2cm square) chunks.

Peel garlic cloves, keep them whole. Slit the green chilies vertically.

In a thick-bottomed pan, heat ghee. Add cumin seeds and coriander seeds. As soon as they sizzle, add garlic cloves and asafoetida powder. Stir around and fry for half a minute, then add slit green chilies and stir. Follow with all the cubed vegetables.

Mix well to let the oil and whole seeds coat the vegetables.

Sprinkle turmeric powder, red chili powder and salt.

Stir the spices well into the vegetables. Sauté on medium heat for five minutes, turning the vegetables around occasionally to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Add half a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice to the pan. If using coriander leaves, chop and add them too at this stage.

Reduce heat, close the lid of the pan, and let the vegetables cook in their own juices. A couple of times in between, uncover and turn the vegetables around.

Be sure to gently scrape the bottom of the pan when you turn the vegetables around.

Cook this way (covered + low heat) for about 15 minutes, or till the vegetables are done.

Yam, carrot, potato medley – or khad ki sabzi – is ready to eat. Serve with chapatis on the side.

Notes:

I have no idea what ‘khad’ in ‘khad ki sabzi’ means! Anyone?

Looking for more recipes of curries cooked in ghee? Try: