Summer Vegetables in Spiced Yogurt Sauce

By David Tanis

Published August 3, 2021

  • David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
30 minutes
Rating
4(1,203)
Comments
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The farmers’ market or a home garden may be the ideal source of summer vegetables for this seasonal main course. Feel free to substitute or add other garden gifts as available. Eggplant, green beans, small potatoes or okra would all be welcome. Substantial but light, and reminiscent of some kormas, it gets its rich, creamy consistency from a mixture of yogurt and almond flour. To get vegetarian recipes like this one delivered to your inbox, sign up for The Veggie newsletter.

Featured in: This Vegetarian Menu Brings Home the Best of the Market

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings

  • 3 tablespoons neutral oil or ghee

  • 1 (2-inch) piece ginger, peeled and grated

  • 4 garlic cloves, minced

  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds

  • ½ teaspoon ground turmeric

  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cayenne

  • 1 serrano chile, thinly sliced (use less, or remove seeds, for a milder stew)

  • 1 medium onion, diced small

  • Kosher salt

  • ½ teaspoon garam masala

  • 4 cups diced summer squash, such as zucchini, pattypan or romanesco, cut into ¾-inch pieces

  • 3 cups baby turnips, halved or quartered

  • 2 cups plain whole-milk yogurt

  • ½ cup almond flour

  • 2 cups shelled peas or cut green beans

  • 1 ½ cups fresh corn kernels (from 3 ears corn)

  • 5 ounces baby spinach

  • Roughly chopped cilantro leaves, for garnish

  • Cooked basmati rice, for serving (optional)

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 to 6 servings)

37 grams carbs; 11 milligrams cholesterol; 324 calories; 5 grams monosaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 16 grams fat; 7 grams fiber; 892 milligrams sodium; 12 grams protein; 12 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Put oil in a deep, wide skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When it shimmers, add the ginger, garlic, cumin seeds, turmeric, cayenne and the serrano chile. Stir-fry the mixture until it begins to sizzle a bit, about 1 minute.

  2. Step 2

    Add onion to pot, and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 to 4 minutes. Season well with salt.

  3. Step 3

    Stir in garam masala, squash and turnips, along with 1 cup water. Cover and simmer briskly until vegetables are just done, about 3 minutes.

  4. Step 4

    Add yogurt and almond flour. Stir well to combine. Add peas and corn. Simmer gently, uncovered, until sauce thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Taste sauce for salt and adjust as needed.

  5. Step 5

    Add the spinach, and let wilt into the mixture. Turn off heat. Sprinkle with cilantro, and serve with rice, if desired.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
1,203 user ratings
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Comments

Fritz

Looks great! But "30 minutes," really? Salute to whoever can prep this dish -- peeling, grating, mincing, dicing, slicing and shelling peas, ginger, garlic, chiles, onion, corn, squash, and turnips -- in that little time.

phalgal

Can I use regular flour?

Prakash Nadkarni

RE: Regular flour instead of almond - you certainly can, though chickpea flour ("besan"), available in Indian stores, is more traditional. For another use of the yoghurt/besan combination, see Priya Krishna's recipe at bonappetit.com/recipe/kadhi-turmeric-yogurt-soup. (This calls for 1 c yoghurt+1 c water, but all-yoghurt is fine.)

Liz

I just made this and it turned out great. It's a hearty and affordable meal that I will be making again. After reading comments, I made a few changes to the recipe because I wanted a spicier and more brothy meal: Chickpea flour instead of almond; added about a cup of chicken broth; no Serrano peppers, so used two jalapeños; used not quite heaping measurements for spices, but a little more than called for; used only 8 oz of yogurt. For leftovers, I'll be adding a tad more yogurt and some chicken.

marie

It came out delicious. Substituted almond flour with Besan that I premixed in yogurt and tempered with curry sauce before adding to pan. Used thai chilli and madras curry powder. Added half tsp cumin, jaggery and black pepper.

Jake Boy

I agree with others that this lacks flavor and was a disappointment. Even doubling the spices and adding coconut milk could not save it.

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