Vegetable sagu


Pavi, the recipe is specially for you.
This is one breakfast side dish you just cannot miss, if you have lived in Bangalore. In hotels, the vegetable sagu is often served with rava dosa, rava idli, onion dosa, poori, the list is endless. You will surely see a little cup of this, along with some colorful chutneys and sambhar.
From the old classic hotels like MTR (Oh, I will need a whole new episode to write about it. I grew up next door to this place. It is a 75 year old hotel that maintains its high standards of purity and hygiene. I remember it would open its kitchen to any customer who was interested.  I cannot stop praising the food. This is one awesome place for pure vegetarian, ghee dipping, finger licking, high calorie dishes; so good) to the numerous  Darshinis (These are fast food chains that have been a hit over the recent decade catering to the growing IT population and fast life of working families. They sure are a blessing, but if you get addicted, they may also give you a stomach upset now and then!) Here goes the recipe.
What I used: Serves 4
¼ cup each of these vegetables diced uniformly (It is good to have all, but you can make it with what you have.) beans, carrots, potatoes, onions, tomatoes
2 tsp shredded coconut (fresh/dry)
4 sticks of fresh cilantro
1 tsp powdered jaggery/brown sugar
Salt to taste
Roast the following:
2tsp cilantro seeds
1tsp kadale poppu (putaani/split yellow soft gram)
1 tsp ghas ghase (poppy seeds)
1 tsp jeera
2 green chilies
2 dry red chilies
1 cardamom
4 cloves
½ inch cinnamon
To temper:
1tsp ghee/oil, ½ tsp mustard, few curry leaves and hing

In a saucepan, on medium heat, add ghee. When it begins to smoke, add the mustard seeds and curry leaves and cover. When the splattering subsides, add onions, and roast to a light brown. Toss in the tomatoes and diced vegetables. Cook for a few minutes. 

In the meantime, in a small pan, add in the grind ingredients, dry roast till the aromas disperse. Let it cool for a few minutes. Add the coconut and fresh cilantro. Grind to a fine paste. Pour this into the cooking vegetables. Add salt and sugar. 

Let the whole mixture cook on medium for 5 minutes, then low for another 7 minutes. Add the lime juice. Turn off the heat and serve the dish with chapathi/poori/dosa/idli. Enjoy!