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Mizo panch phoran tarkari

Mixed vegetables with five spices

Panch phoran tarkari: Aizawl's gentle mixed vegetables cooked with five seeds and very little oil

Mizo cooking uses very little oil and few spices, and this Aizawl tarkari of pumpkin, potato, brinjal and beans is a good example: a few seeds of panch phoron bloom in a spoonful of oil, the vegetables steam in their own juices and dinner is ready. It is eaten on weekdays with rice, dal and a sharp chilli relish. The common mistake is stirring too often, which mashes the pumpkin; turn it gently only once or twice. Chef's tip: cut everything about the same size so it cooks evenly.

Prep
10 min
Cook
22 min
Difficulty
Easy
Serves
4
Per serving
110 kcal
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Ingredients

Serves4

For the tarkari

Tick what you have; the rest goes in the basket.

Method

0/5 done
  1. Step 1: Heat 1 tbsp mustard oil over medium heat. Add 1 tsp panch phoron and 2 green chillies and let the seeds crackle for a few seconds.

    1 min
  2. Step 2: Add 1 potato and stir for 2 minutes.

    2 min
  3. Step 3: Add 9 oz pumpkin, 1 brinjal (aubergine), 3 ½ oz green beans, ½ tsp ground turmeric and 1 tsp salt and turn to coat.

    2 min
  4. Step 4: Pour in ½ cup water, cover and cook on low, turning gently once, until the potato is tender to a knife and the pumpkin is soft but holding its shape.

    15 min
  5. Step 5: Uncover and cook 2 minutes to dry off excess liquid. Serve with rice.

    2 min
K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

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