Cut the cauliflower in medium size florets, carrots & beans into 2-inch long pieces, potatoes into 1-inch cubes and mushrooms into halves.
To build the best taste of the restaurant style veg handi, I recommend frying up each vegetable individually.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil for each veggie and shallow fry each vegetable for 8 to 10 minutes on medium heat until they are glossy and almost cooked but not fully though.
You have to fry the veggies until they are 80% cooked because later they will be simmered in the gravy and will get cooked completely.
Set all the fried vegetables aside until further needed.
We will make the tomato puree at home to ensure the freshest possible taste. Just chop about 4 medium sized tomatoes and deseed them.
Then blend them in a blender or mixer grinder without any water; your fresh homemade tomato puree is ready!
Now heat about 4 tablespoons of oil in the kadai. Once the oil is hot, add chopped garlic and chopped green chillies. Sauté them for a few seconds.
Once they turn aromatic, add the sliced onions and sauté them for 8 to 10 minutes on medium flame until they turn golden brown.
After the onions are nicely fried until golden brown, pour the prepared tomato puree to the kadai.
Cook the tomato puree with onion until the mixture turns completely dry and oil starts to release, about 6 to 8 minutes on medium flame.
Now switch off the flame and transfer the mixture to a blender. Allow it to cool completely and then blend it to a smooth puree by adding half a cup of water ensuring no lump is left behind.
Heat up the kadai again (make sure it is clean, else the stuck bits of onion-tomato will start to burn) and add a couple of tablespoons of oil.
Temper the hot oil with cloves, green cardamom, cinnamon stick and bay leaf. Keeping the flame on low, let them become fragrant.
Now add the powdered spices - turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, Kashmiri red chilli powder, keeping the heat on low.
Sauté the spices for a minute and then pour in the prepared onion-tomato masala puree to the wok. Give a good mix using a spatula.
Continue cooking this mixture with spices for a couple of minutes until oil starts to release. Then add about 2 cups of water.
Bring the water to boil. Season the gravy with salt to taste & the sugar; then add all the fried vegetables to it.
Once the gravy starts to boil again, reduce the flame to minimum, cover the kadai with a lid and continue to cook until all the vegetables are completely cooked through. This would take about 8 to 10 minutes.
While the veg handi is simmering, in a mixing bowl mix together curd and cream by whisking both thoroughly using a fork or wire whisk so that there is no lump.
Uncover the kadai and check the doneness of veggies after about 8 minutes; the gravy would have also reduced a bit by now.
Add the curd & cream mixture to the veg handi and using a spatula give a gentle mix keeping the heat still on low so that curd or cream does not curdle.
Check the seasoning at this stage and adjust if needed. Bring the gravy to your desired consistency and once you are happy, switch off the flame.
Your restaurant style veg handi is ready to devour! Serve it in a large serving bowl, garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves and enjoy!
Recipe by Flavor Quotient at https://flavorquotient.com/2025/03/best-ever-restaurant-style-veg-handi-recipe/