MIXED VEGETABLE MEDLEY

How often are we entertaining and not known what to make?  Or we know what we would like to make but don't have the ingredients?   I tend to get round this problem by keeping  several packets of different seasonal vegetables chopped and ready in my freezer as combining them with potatoes, onions, tomatoes and spices can create a wonderful curry to serve with rice, pasta, noodles or any of the Indian breads.   Often, I invite friends to pop in for a quick lunch during their break and I find that making a quick mixed vegetable curry and basmati rice with some naan bread and papad makes them feel that they have had a feast.  I don't mind using some of these "cheat" ideas as it saves me the stress of impressing my friends.

Ingredients (serves 6):

Any mixed vegetables - I used  small cauliflower florets a handful, handful of peas, handful of sweet corn sweetcorn, 1 carrot and 1 medium potato and managed to fill a huge cereal bowl full of vegetables.
half a can of crushed tomatoes
1 small onion
2 cloves of garlic
a small piece of ginger
2 green chillies
1 teaspoon of mustard seeds
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of turmeric
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
1 tablespoon of tomato puri
1 tablespoon of maple syrup
some coriander


Method:

1. Wash the vegetables and sieve them in a colander
2. Heat the oil and add in the mustard seeds and let them pop.
3. Add all the vegetables to the oil
4. Add the salt and tumeric to the vegetables and allow to cook for 10 minutes with the lid on.
5. In the meantime, put the following ingredients in a food blender: onion, garlic, ginger, green chillies tomato puri, lemon juice and maple syrup.
6. Pour this blended mixture over the vegetables and cook for a further 10 minutes.
7. If you like gravy type curry, you can add a glass of boiling water to the curry. It's nice to have some gravy in the curry if you are serving rice.
8. Check that the vegetables are cooked - Have a quick taste (After seeing all these food shows like master chef - I realise that there nothing wrong with tasting your food! Although it's something I never do - it's a tradition in my family not to taste food until you have served some to God!   Don't ask any more! It's a long story) and adjust the spices if necessary. remove into a serving dish and decorate it with coriander.
9. Serve with rice and naan bread.
10. Enjoy with friends and family.

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