Name: Kolhapuri Veg Diwani Handi
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 1¼ cup Mixed Vegetables, carrots, french beans, cauliflower, green peas, blanched; 75 g Paneer, cut into cubes and shallow fried; 5 Cashews, whole, lightly fried; 1 Onion, finely chopped; ½ cup Tomato Puree; ¾ tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste; ¾ tbsp Kanda Lasun Masala, the secret to authentic Kolhapuri heat; 4 Cashews, soaked and ground into paste (for the gravy body); 1 tbsp Fresh Cream; 1½ tbsp Ghee; ½ tsp Cumin Seeds; ¼ tsp Ground Turmeric; ½ cup Water; ¾ tsp Salt; 1 tbsp Coriander Leaves, chopped

50 mintotal

Prep 20 min · Cook 30 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Hard
Spice: Spicy

Add to your week

Method

Heat a portion of the ghee in a large handi or heavy kadhai. Expertly fry the paneer cubes and whole cashews until golden. Remove and keep aside securely.
In the same handi, introduce the remaining ghee. Add the cumin seeds and allow them to crackle and release their essential oils.
Add the finely chopped onion and fry on medium heat until it turns a deep golden brown.
Add the ginger-garlic paste and fry hard for a minute until the raw smell has gone.
Stir in the tomato puree, turmeric, and the fiery Kanda Lasun Masala. Cook the entire mixture down until it reduces, becomes deeply shiny, and the ghee unmistakably starts leaving the sides.
Add the finely ground cashew paste to the pan. Roast this rich base for 3-4 minutes on medium heat, stirring continuously so it absolutely doesn't stick to the bottom.
3–4 min
Introduce the blanched mixed vegetables and the measured water. Add salt to taste. Cover the handi perfectly and simmer on low heat for 8-10 minutes until the vegetables are completely cooked through but still beautifully hold their structural shape.
8–10 min
Add the fried paneer, fried cashews and fresh cream and fold them in gently. Simmer for another 2 minutes, scatter over plenty of fresh coriander and serve hot.
2 min

How to tell it's done

A medley of colorful, perfectly cooked vegetables, soft paneer, and crunchy cashews drenched in a thick, spicy, and creamy reddish-brown sauce.

Getting it right

Tip

Diwani Handi is usually a milder, greener dish in North India, but the Kolhapuri version transforms it into a robust, spicy, and red gravy by incorporating the legendary Kanda Lasun Masala.

What to serve it with

A premium banquet dish. Unbeatable when served with Garlic Butter Naan, Tandoori Roti, or Jeera Rice.

Parwal Pyaz Fry

Parwal pyaz fry cooks pointed gourd with onion dry, browning both at the edges.

45 minvegan

Patta Gobi Matar (Cabbage Peas)

Patta gobi matar is a quick cabbage and pea sabzi tempered with mustard and cumin seeds, cooked dry enough for a lunchbox.

25 minvegan

Patta Gobi Shimla Mirch

Patta gobi shimla mirch cooks cabbage with capsicum fast, so both keep some crunch.

25 minvegan

Punjabi Aloo Jeera

Aloo jeera is potato tossed with a heavy hand of cumin, the simplest thing in the Punjabi repertoire.

1 hr 25 minvegetarian

Punjabi Aloo Tamatar

Aloo tamatar cooks potato in tomato until the tomato collapses around it.

30 minvegan

Punjabi Aloo Wadiyan

Aloo wadiyan cooks potato with Amritsari wadi, which softens and flavours the whole gravy as it goes.