Indian Vegetarian Recipes- The definition of a comfort mealfor most Indians is a plate of dal-chawal and masala-smeared vegetables on the side. A typical lunch or dinner meal usually comprises these three dishes, replacing the rice with rotis or phulkas in some households. The truth is that there is such a great variety of vegetables available in the market that one can try different ways to cook them and never get bored. Indian regional cuisines make the most of seasonal vegetables by teaming them with various spices and preparing them in different ways and savouring their flavours. Come summer and you notice gourds regularly making their way to the dinner table; monsoons call in various green leafy vegetables like spinach, fenugreek, coloccasia, etc.; and winters showcases cauliflower, peas, pumpkin, broad beans, turnip, and the like.
While there are a large number of people who brush aside vegetable preparations when it comes to having their meal, the reason most often is boredom of the same kind of dish. Hence the moral of the story is to expand your vegetable repertoire and bring home different kinds of seasonal vegetables. Not only will they bring variety to your plate but also boost your health by providing essential nutrients that are a must for the respective season.
You can cook your subzi in various ways too - quick stir-fry with spices, baked, stuffed, cooked in a tomato gravy, team with yogurt, add in some nuts, so on and so forth. Vegetables can be even more delicious than meat if cooked in interesting ways.
Here are our 15 best Indian vegetable recipes to spruce up your meal time -
1. Palak Bhurji
A light and fresh palak recipe with a mild seasoning and some crushed paneer, perfect to team with piping hot phulkas. This is a healthy recipe with a delicious melange of spices.
2. Gobhi Masaledaar
Gobhi is one of the staple food made in Indian homes. This Cauliflower recipe is cooked in a myriad of spices that makes it a delicious dish for lunch or tiffin to team with rotis or dal-chawal. You can make this for a quick lunch paired best with parathe or even at a dinner party as a side dish.
This Gobhi recipe is full of flavours and would make for a hearty meal when eaten with parathe. Image credits- iStock3. Hyderabadi Baingan
Straight from the royal kitchens of Hyderabad comes an authentic brinjal curry. Small whole brinjals are doused in a nutty gravy made with peanuts, tamarind and sesame seeds. This is a mouth-watering dish to cook for lunch or dinner, the masala is so full of flavour that this can go well with anything from rice to roti.
A royal, spicy, full of flavour baingan recipe that is sure to set your taste buds racing. Image credits- iStock4. Arbi ki Kadhi
A simple and hassle free curry with the goodness of arbi. This recipe makes use of singhara atta and sendha namak, perfect for Navratra fasts. Pair with chapati or rice and have a whole meal for lunch.
Arbi ki kadhi is a distinct lunch recipe that you can make easily at home. Image credits- iStock5. Bharwan Tinda
Tender apple gourds (tinda) stuffed with flavourful masala, baked perfectly and served with a tangy tomato sauce atop. A popular lunch recipe, tinda is a vegetable with multiple health benefits that includes improving digestion.
Besides other health benefits, apple gourd or tinda is a water-rich vegetable that makes it a popular meal option in India. Image credits- iStock6. Beans Patoli Vepudu
French beans and channa dal tossed together with chillies and curry leaves. Beans Patoli Vepudu is an easy to make Andhra recipe. This goes very well with hot rice or rotis and a dash of ghee.
A perfect easy, lunch recipe that you can cook quickly without any hassle. Image credits- iStock7. Undhiyu
Explore the flavours of this authentic Gujarati vegetable curry. Fried vegetables and chickpea dumplings bathed in simmering, spicy masalas.
A perfect Gujarati recipe that you can prepare for lunch or as a side dish at dinner. Image credits- iStock8. Methi Aloo
A winter favourite, Methi or fenugreek leaves cooked with potatoes and spices makes for a hearty dish and one of the most popular vegetarian dishes. You can cook these for lunch, pack for tiffin and can cook in a jiffy. Easy, quick and packed with flavour! You just need hot and piping parathe to relish this.
Methi aloo paired with hot parathas are the ultimate winter dish to cook and relish. 9. Lauki Ki Yakhni
Lauki or bottle gourd is one of the most popular green vegetable that has numerous health benefits. From weight loss to easy digestion the count doesn't end. Here is your boring lauki made interesting with a dash of spices and curd to give it a silky smooth texture. Hard to resist!
Lauki Yakhni is the delicious and easy way to load up on this green vegetable. Image credits- iStock10. Crispy Andhra Bhindi
Okra is a popular side dish that is often made in a variety of ways for lunch or dinner and even at parties. It is a versatile vegetable that can go well with everything. Here is an easy and flavourful bhindi recipe to cook for your next meal. Crunchy deep fried bhindi sprinkled with roasted masala. Makes a perfect side for your dal-chawal.
Photo Credit: NDTV Beeps. Crispy, crunchy and masaaledaar. This Bhindi recipe is your answer to perfect lunch meal.11. Gatte Ki Sabzi
This mouthwatering delight is a gift from the Rajasthani cuisine, full of spices and flavors. Gatte are basically cooked gram flour dumplings which are added to the spicy curd gravy. These can be served for lunch or a dinner party as the star vegetarian dish. Serve along with parathe or chapati.
Photo Credit: NDTV Beeps. An irresistible Rajasthani delicacy.12. Kathal Ki Sabzi
A sabzi that is actually made of a fruit. Kathal or jack fruit is a summer fruit that can be cooked into a delicious, flavorful vegetarian dish. While a ripe jackfruit can be eaten plain, this sabzi is made from unripe jackfruit in a variety of masalas and spices like chilli powder and simmered with tomatoes to make a thick gravy.
13. Allahabadi Tehri
A delicious one pot rice meal which originated in Uttar Pradesh. It's aromatic, filled with varied masalas and lots of vegetables. With a spoonful of ghee on top, this vegetarian rice recipe is a must try. Cook for lunch accompanied with curd.
Photo Credit: NDTV Beeps. A one pot dish for lunch, made easy and quickly.14. Paneer Butter Masala
A delicious, luscious and rich butter based paneer (cottage cheese) dish, cooked in a creamy, milk gravy with the goodness of tomato and onion. A perfect dinner party dish so you will never have to think too much about what to cook for vegetarian party!
15. Aloo Wadiyan
Aloo Wadiyan is a popular dish from North India. Wadiyan are made from sun dried urad dal nuggets and are spicy to the core due to the various spices and chillies that are added to urad dal while making it.
Now that you have these wonderful recipes to dish out and impress your friends and family, don't hesitate to go all out and try as many variations as you can. Only when you start experimenting will you learn about interesting ways to make vegetables the star dish on the table.