Kerala Vegetable Stew Recipe | How To Make Kerala Style Vegetable Stew In Pressure Cooker For Appam And Idiyappam | Vegetable Ishtu Recipe

Kerala Vegetable Stew

Kerala Vegetable Stew Or Kerala Vegetable Ishtu With Step By Step Photos And Video

Kerala Vegetable Stew Or Vegetable ishtu is a well known Kerala cuisine served for breakfast. Quite an easy dish in which different vegetables are stewed in moderately spicy coconut milk. This aromatic savory dish is usually served with appam, idiyappam, pathiri etc. But the most popular one is appam with vegetable stew. 

Preparation of vegetable stew is quite easy, before going to the recipe section let us discuss its ingredients and cooking methods.

Vegetables used :- When we talk about the ingredients of vegetable stew, the most commonly used one are potatoes, carrots, French beans, fresh green peas, etc. To Make a basic home style stew we need only this much vegetables. But it is not necessary to limit your choice, you can use any soft textured and light flavored vegetables like cauliflower, corn, broccoli etc. But any vegetable we use in the stew preparation should not alter its taste. A stew should be mildly sweet, savory and salty. Potatoes are the thickening agent and is the must to use vegetable in potato stew. Some dry fruits like cashews and raisins can be used if making for special guests. 

Cooking Method :- Both stove top and pressure cooker method can be followed. But here in this recipe, we choose pressure cooker stew preparation method because it is the easiest one to follow, less time consuming and uses less oil. 

Coconut Milk :- Fresh coconut milk gives better taste. You can use both thick and thin milk for stew preparation. Thin milk for cooking the veggies and thick milk to give extra flavor. But I usually use only thick milk at the end (thalapal in malayalam)and cook veggies in water only. This will not affect its taste or flavor. Still, if you like to follow the traditional cooking method, do cook veggies in thin coconut milk (randam pal in malayalam) and then season with thick milk.

Flavoring agents :- Ginger, garlic and curry leaves are enough to fragrant a basic stew. But I usually add some whole spices like cardamom, cinnamon, clove and a generous pinch of garam masala to make the stew lip-smacking. 

This is really delicious with appam that one should try. In the following section, ingredients and cooking method explained with step by step photos and video 

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Kerala Vegetable Stew Recipe | Kerala Vegetable Ishtu Recipe | How To Make Kerala Vegetable Stew In Pressure Cooker For Appam and Idiyappam

Vegetables simmered in coconut milk

Preparation time: 15 minutes / Cooking time 20 minutes / Total time: 35 minutes

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Ingredients

Vegetables 

• 2 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 3 to 4 beans cut into small pieces
• 1 carrot, peeled and cubed
• 1/4 cup green peas
• 1 onion, chopped finely
• 1" ginger, chopped finely
• 3 green chilies. slit lengthwise
• 5 garlic cloves

Whole spices

• 3 green cardamom
• 1" cinnamon
• 4 cloves
• 6 pepper corns

Other Ingredients 

• 8 to10 cashews
• 8 to10 raisins
• 2 springs of curry leaves
• 1 cup thin  coconut milk or 1 cup water
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup thick coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1/4 teaspoon garam masala
• Salt as needed

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How to make Kerala Vegetable Stew / Ishtu At Home

1. Take vegetables, whole spices, cashews and rains in a pressure cooker. Add enough salt and water (or thin coconut milk). Pressure cook for one whistle on high flame. 

   

   Kerala Vegetable stew /ishtu -veggies with whole spices and salt plus water

   
   
2. After the first whistle, switch off the flame and wait till the pressure settle down.Mash the veggies slightly with a potato masher. The veggies should not mashed fully.

   

   Kerala Vegetable stew /ishtu - mashed

   
   
3. Cook again on high flame, till  extra gravy evaporate and the veggies come to a semi-dry consistency. Keep an eye on it, there is a high chance to burn. This step is very important, it should come a semi-thick consistency. Make sure there is no stock /gravy left, before adding the next ingredient. 

   

   Kerala Vegetable stew /ishtu - Semi dry 

   
   
4. When the gravy thickens and come to a semi-dry consistency, add thick coconut milk. After the addition of thick milk, switch off the flame when first boil starts. Do not boil the gravy, the coconut milk will curdle. 

   

   Kerala Vegetable stew /ishtu - with thick milk

   
   
5. Add a pinch of garam masala, curry leaves and finally drizzle some fresh coconut oil.  

   

   Kerala Vegetable stew /ishtu - seasoned

   
   
6. Mix well and cover with a lid and set aside for five to ten minutes so that all the flavors diffuse into the gravy beautifully.

   

   Kerala Vegetable stew /ishtu - ready 

   
   
7. Then serve with appam, idiyappam or chappathi. Enjoy.

   

   Kerala Vegetable stew /ishtu

   
   

Happy Cooking

Anju