Kerala vegetable stew, often referred to as “Ishtu,” is a culinary gem from the lush southwestern state of India, Kerala. Whether enjoyed as a hearty breakfast with idiyappam (string hoppers) or as a nourishing side dish with appam (rice pancakes), Kerala vegetable stew is a true meaning of the union of tradition and taste.
Kerala Vegetable stew
A gentle and aromatic offering, this stew is a combination of fresh vegetables with coconut milk and a delicate blend of spices. The result is a velvety, comforting, and subtly spiced dish that envelops your senses in a symphony of flavors. This is a comfort dish to devour on cold winter days with hot appam or parathas.
How to make vegetable stew
Ingredients used
Method
Boil the potatoes and carrots till cooked. If using a pressure cooker, just till 2 whistles, or if using an Instant Pot, cook in manual for 10 minutes. Peel the skin and chop potatoes and carrots into small cubes. In a pot, add 1 to 1 1/2 cups of water. When it starts to boil, add chopped onions, ginger, and green chilies. When the onions turn transparent, add cubed potato and carrot. Add salt and lightly mash one or two potatoes. This gives little thickness to the stew. When it thoroughly boils and the raw smell of onions is no more, simmer the flame and add coconut milk. Stir well. When it starts boiling, switch off the flame. Add curry leaves and drizzle coconut oil.
Frequently asked questions
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Vegetable stew recipe
Ingredients
Potato – 1 big or 2 medium-sized
Carrot – 1 big
Onion – 1/2 cup chopped
Ginger – 1/2 tbsp chopped finely
Green chili – 2 or 3 slit lengthwise
Thick Coconut milk – 1/2 cup
Salt – as required
Curry leaves – few
Coconut oil – 2 tsp
Method
- Boil the potatoes and carrots till cooked. If using a pressure cooker, just till 2 whistles, or if using an Instant Pot, cook in manual for 10 minutes.
- Peel the skin and chop it into small cubes.
- In a pot, add 1 to 1 1/2 cups of water.
- When it starts to boil, add chopped onions, ginger, and green chilies.
- When the onions turn transparent, add cubed potato and carrot.
- Add salt and lightly mash one or two potatoes. This gives little thickness to the stew.
- When it thoroughly boils and the raw smell of onions is no more, simmer the flame and add coconut milk.
- When it starts boiling, switch off the flame.
- Serve warm with Appam, idli, or dosa.
Kerala vegetable stew
Equipment
- pressure cooker
- Pot
Ingredients
- 2 Potato medium sized
- 1 Carrot
- 1/2 cup Onion chopped
- 1/2 Tbsp Ginger chopped finely
- 2 Green chili slit lengthwise
- 1/2 cup Coconut milk
- Salt as required
- Curry leaves few
- 2 Tsp Coconut oil
Instructions
- Boil the potatoes and carrots till cooked. If using a pressure cooker, just till 2 whistles, or if using an Instant Pot, cook in manual for 10 minutes.
- Peel the skin and chop it into small cubes.
- In a pot, add 1 to 1 1/2 cups of water.
- When it starts to boil, add chopped onions, ginger, and green chilies.
- When the onions turn transparent, add cubed potato and carrot.
- Add salt and lightly mash one or two potatoes. This gives little thickness to the stew.
- When it thoroughly boils and the raw smell of onions is no more, simmer the flame and add coconut milk.
- When it starts boiling, switch off the flame.
- Serve warm with Appam, idli, or dosa.
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This post was originally published in March 2017. Now updated with new pictures and more content.
This was such a delicious vegetable stew. The combination with coconut was really good. The family loved it!
Thank you