Easy Vegetable Stew

Easy traditional vegetable stew in a black pan served with appam.

5 from 11 votes

Vegetable stew, also known as Ishtu, is a popular, healthy, and easy-to-make side dish from Kerala cuisine. Stew is a mildly spiced dish where a combination of vegetables is cooked in coconut milk, making it more flavorful.

Prep Time10

Cook Time25

Total Time35

Course: Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch, Side Dish

Cuisine: Indian, South Indian

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 359kcal

Author: Kushi

Equipment

Ingredients

2 tablespoon Coconut oil
1 inch Cinnamon stick
3 Cardamom seeds
2 Cloves
1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
1 Onion, chopped
1 inch Ginger, grated
5 Garlic cloves, chopped
3 Green chilies, slit
2 sprig Curry leaves
1 Carrot, chopped
1 Bell pepper or Capsicum, chopped
12 Cauliflower florets
2 Potatoes, chopped
½ cup Beans, chopped
½ cup Green peas
1 cup Thin coconut milk
½ teaspoon Crushed peppercorns
Water as needed (approx ½ tp 1 cup)
1 cup Thick coconut milk
Salt, to taste

Instructions

Traditional vegetable stew

Heat oil in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pan. Add cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves, cumin seeds and saute until aromatic.
2 tablespoon Coconut oil, 1 inch Cinnamon stick, 3 Cardamom seeds, 2 Cloves, 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
Add onion, garlic, ginger, green chilies, curry leaves, and a pinch of salt, and saute until the onion becomes translucent.
1 Onion, chopped, 1 inch Ginger, grated, 5 Garlic cloves, chopped, 3 Green chilies, slit, 2 sprig Curry leaves, Salt, to taste
Next, add carrots, capsicum, cauliflower, potatoes, beans, green peas, thin coconut milk, crushed pepper powder, approx ½ cup water, and a pinch of salt. Cover and cook until vegetables are cooked through but not mushy.
1 Carrot, chopped, 1 Bell pepper or Capsicum, chopped, 12 Cauliflower florets, 2 Potatoes, chopped, ½ cup Beans, chopped, ½ cup Green peas, 1 cup Thin coconut milk, ½ teaspoon Crushed peppercorns, Water as needed
Finally, add thick coconut milk and cook on low flame just until combined and you see it starts to bubble. Switch off the flame. (Do not boil the stew too much on high flame after adding thick coconut milk, as the fats in milk may separate for heat. )
1 cup Thick coconut milk
Serve this hot with idiyappam, South Indian dosa, and appam, and enjoy.

Instant Pot Vegetable Stew

Turn on the SAUTE mode of your IP. Add coconut oil. Once it melts, add cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and cumin seeds and saute until aromatic.
Add onion, garlic, green chiles, ginger, and curry leaves and saute until onion becomes translucent.
Now add the veggies, salt, pepper, and 2 cups of water (no coconut milk for instant pot at this stage)
Secure the lid. Close the pressure valve and cook on HIGH for 3 minutes—quick release.
Turn on the SAUTE mode, add 1 cup of thick or canned coconut milk, and adjust the salt to taste. Serve with appam, idiyappam, puttu, and enjoy.

Notes

If you are using store-bought canned coconut milk, which is thick, you can use water to cook vegetables and then add coconut milk at the end.
Cut the vegetables into desired shapes and sizes. Do not add vegetables that will become mushy.
Vary the amount of green chilies to taste.
Coconut oil gives a traditional flavor to your stew. But if it is unavailable, use vegetable oil or canola oil.
For a quick and fast version, you can also make stew in a pressure cooker or instant pot. In this case, cook the vegetables with water, skip the thin milk, and add thick milk only at the end.

Nutrition