Mahanandi

Living in Consciousness ~ Indi(r)a’s Food and Garden Weblog

Zucchini Kurma

Zucchini Kurma
Zucchini Kurma

When we buy vegetables that are in season, they reward us with incredible fresh flavor. I guess, as if saying thanks for saving them from a fate of an artificial light enhanced, wax coated, every 30 minute sprinkler spray hell of 24-hour open, chain grocery shop environment.

Zucchini is one such vegetable. My first few times cooking this vegetable, the result was not good. The vegetable went all weepy with no taste or substance. I thought what a loser and why would anyone pay good money to buy this. Keep in mind that we don’t get this vegetable in India. After a year break, the next spring, I couldn’t resist giving them another try when I saw the farm fresh, tender skinned and no waxed zucchinis in an appealing shade of pale green. They rewarded me for buying them fresh. The curry with them tasted good, almost like ridge gourd, my favorite vegetable from India. I guess that’s why people often say moving to a new country is a learning experience. Everyday is a new day to find out something new about people, traditions and particularly about food.

We can get zucchini that is freshly picked for the day from neighborhood “Rulli Brothers” grocery shop. I like to cook them by baking & broiling for few minutes or as traditional Indian curry. This is one such recipe where zucchinis are cooked with other fresh vegetables like bell peppers, new crop potatoes, carrots and springtime tomatoes. A satisfying taste and filling side dish suitable to any time of the day.

Zucchini, Carrot, Red and Yellow Bell Pepper, Baby Potatoes and Cherry Tomatoes

Recipe:

Cut and chop:
Fresh Zucchinis – 2, cut into big bite sized cubes
Bell Peppers – 2, cut into small pieces
Baby potatoes – 6 to 8, cut into cubes
Carrot – 1, cut into cubes
Tomatoes 6 to 8 or 1 pound cherry tomatoes – chopped
Onion – 1, chopped into small pieces

Heat in a large pan over medium heat:
1 tsp of peanut oil. To it add and toast
1 tsp of each – minced garlic, cumin, mustard seeds and few curry leaves (tadka)

Add and cook:
First onion, then tomatoes until they soften.
Next, 1 cup of overnight soaked dried green peas
Also all the chopped vegetables – Zucchini, bell peppers, potatoes and carrots
Add 1 cup of water and mix. Cover and simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes on medium heat.

Stir in:
1 tsp of each – red chilli powder, salt and turmeric or to taste
1 tsp of cumin-coriander-clove and cinnamon powder (CCCC)
1 tsp of amchur (dried mango) powder
Mix to combine. Simmer another 10 to 15 minutes, covered on medium heat, stirring in-between.

Serve warm with:
Chapatis or parathas.

Zucchini Kurma with chapatis
Zucchini Kurma with Chapatis

Posted by Indira©Copyrighted in Zucchini (Friday June 16, 2006 at 4:17 pm- permalink)
Comments (22)

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22 comments for Zucchini Kurma »

  1. Beautiful, beautiful photos Indira !!!

    Comment by Archana — June 16, 2006 @ 4:45 pm

  2. Indira,
    A Kurma with zucchini – that’s a great idea. Btw, I, too, have filled a basket with veggies for one of my next posts. Will publish it in a few days. Yours looks colourful and appetising.

    Comment by Vaishali — June 16, 2006 @ 5:38 pm

  3. Wow! That basket of veggies looks so professional. So is the Kurma!

    Comment by RP — June 16, 2006 @ 9:16 pm

  4. Thanks Archana!

    Look forward to your post, Vaishali.
    Veggies in a basket look very homely. I often store them in such boxes.

    Hey, you must be kidding.:)
    Thanks RP.

    Comment by Indira — June 16, 2006 @ 10:03 pm

  5. Can you please reply to my query under your ma’moul post? Thanks

    Indira replies:
    I never used the proportions you mentioned, so I am not able to answer your question.
    Thanks.

    Comment by Umm maryam — June 17, 2006 @ 12:08 am

  6. Your post gives me the confidence to try Zucchini!Indira veggies in the basket picture looks beautiful,I especially loved the yellow of the bell pepper!

    Comment by Sumitha — June 17, 2006 @ 3:17 am

  7. Everytime I look at your blog I get so hungry. My fiance is vegetarian and I am not. Out of all the cuisines, Indian food is so flavoursome and delicious that I am more than happy to eat only vegetarian when we go out or make it at home. I love your blog. So many good ideas.

    Comment by Anna — June 17, 2006 @ 4:29 am

  8. A PERFECT photography!! Who is the pro in you two, Indira or Vijay? or both?:)

    Comment by Aparna — June 17, 2006 @ 7:03 am

  9. I’m a vegetable fanatic, and I have to say zucchini is not my favorite, as it is too bland and watery for me, even when fresh. I do like making it into a cool soup though – Chop zucchini and onions. Cook it a bit in oil or butter. Add some curry powder (homemmade best, or I guess you could just throw in some cumin and corriander, but I learned to make this ages ago before I ever cooked Indian and used to use the bog-standard curry powder in it). Add chicken or veg stock and salt – cook a bit and then puree. Lastly, chill and add cream or yogurt stirred in before serving.

    This is still about the only way I like it except perhaps sliced and grilled with lemon.

    Ridge gourd on the other hand, rocks!

    Comment by Diane — June 17, 2006 @ 2:19 pm

  10. Kurma looks great. I like the use of dried peas.

    Comment by krithika — June 17, 2006 @ 2:55 pm

  11. Hi Indira,

    We do get Zucchini in India. In Andhra it is called as “Nethi Beerakay”. You can also make chutney with Zucchini in the same way you make it with beerakay(ride gourd).

    Thanks,
    Narmada

    Comment by Narmada — June 17, 2006 @ 3:51 pm

  12. Hi Narmada,

    I think Zucchini and Nethi-Beerakaya are different. They may look little bit similar in shape, but are entirely different vegetables.

    Check this link: http://www.nandyala.org/mahanandi/archives/category/indian-vegetables/beerakaya-netisilk-squash/

    Thanks.

    Comment by Madhavi — June 17, 2006 @ 4:07 pm

  13. Thanks for the clarification Madhavi!

    Comment by Narmada — June 19, 2006 @ 12:45 pm

  14. Hi, the recipe looks tempting, now a days Zucchini is available in India, atleast in Chennai where I live.
    Regards
    Vanishree

    Comment by vanishree — August 23, 2006 @ 2:01 am

  15. i am a bit confused.
    Is “Zucchini” and “Tourayee (In Hindi) are the same?

    Comment by Ria — October 10, 2006 @ 5:58 am

  16. This recipe looks very interesting! This summer I have plenty of Zucchini growing in my veg garden, so I am going to try this recipe. I was wondering if the zucchini korma could taste better if its peeled??

    Comment by vidya — August 16, 2007 @ 3:06 pm

  17. I just made this recipe with patty pan squashes instead of zucchini. ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:PetitPanSquash.jpg ) They taste a lot like zucchini, but they’re very small and tender, and they have an interesting shape. It’s delicious!

    Comment by KC — September 10, 2007 @ 6:18 pm

  18. I made the Kurma today. I have never really been able to figure out how to make a tasty curry out of Zucchini. I never thought of adding potatoes with Zucchini.
    This curry is delicious!! and super fast and super easy.

    Comment by Annu — November 25, 2007 @ 9:56 pm

  19. Hi Indira,

    I too was looking at ways to cook Zucchini and thanks to you have found one way.I’ll surely try it.

    BTW do you have any ideas on how to use Idli rava (other than for idli’s)? Any ideas,do let me know. thanks!

    Comment by VIishali — March 30, 2008 @ 11:45 pm

  20. hi indira,

    i tried this recepi today. iot came out really well thaks for the recepi.

    Comment by vani — January 13, 2009 @ 1:23 pm

  21. Hi Indira,
    I tried out this kurma today with colorful bell peppers and it turned out well. This is the first recipe I tried from your blog. Looking fwd to try out more of your recipes.

    Comment by Deepti — January 26, 2010 @ 11:28 am

  22. Thank you so much for your beautiful blog! I am going to try this tonight for a friend visiting Paris, with idlis coconut chutney and fresh mango chutney!( it is the season and we find them in the indian area )

    Comment by Florence Vasanta — July 3, 2015 @ 4:31 am

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