Vegetables in Spiced Cream Sauce | Easy, Tandoori

Mixed vegetables in a spiced cream sauce with flavors of warm Indian spices. It’s an easy recipe easily customizable by using any seasonal vegetables that get a flavor boost from an easy tandoori cream sauce.

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Think of this Vegetables in spiced cream sauce recipe as a recipe that is born when two cultures or cuisines come together. A fusion or marriage of sorts! Creamy baked vegetables have been served around dinner tables in India - at homes and restaurants, for quite sometime now. I like to think of it as a culinary gift that the British left behind like so many other things. I also watched its mention come up in a show that I was watching on Netflix where they talked about the history of some Anglo-Indian recipes. But over time the dish has evolved with its latest version that I tried in India during my recent visit. The sauce had a deep, nutty, almost tandoori flavor and the veggies were rather crisp…like they have been slightly sauteed instead of the original baked recipe. So here’s my attempt at it.

The components of Vegetables in Spiced Cream Sauce

1. Mixed Vegetables
2. Spiced Cream Sauce

The veggies are the best part of this vegetarian dish and this dish is also a great option when you have a lot of little bits of many different veggies in your refrigerator that you need to use up. Or you can go all out and buy your favorite seasonal veggies. Either way you won’t be disappointed.

Some vegetables that work well in this dish of Vegetables in Spiced Cream Sauce:

• zucchini
• mushrooms
• green beans
• cauliflower and/or broccoli
• baby corn/sweet corn
• bell peppers

Recipe Run down

Saute the veggies in olive oil with ginger, garlic and green chili (if using) paste for just a few minutes so that they retain their crunch. I love this pan and would highly recommend it for this recipe and other similar recipes.

The sauce is the flavor carrier. I started by making a whole wheat flour roux and then proceeded to make a sauce with milk. A loose take on bechamel and then spiced it up with warm Indian spices to develop an almost Tandoori flavor. See the list of spices in the recipe below. Every spice plays a role so I would recommend including them all. If you have store bought tandoori masala you can use about 2 tablespoon of that along with garam masala, kasoori methi and salt and pepper in place of all other spice powders.

Serving Suggestions

You have to try pairing these Vegetables in a Spiced Cream Sauce recipe with these Spinach Rice. I mean this is a match made in heaven. I wish I would have made both the recipes at the same time to take a picture of the plate together. But can you imagine? These crunchy, multi-colored vegetables in a spice-hued creamy sauce and served with nutrition packed, deep green Spinach rice. Gorgeous and yummy!! You can of course, rock this recipe by serving it plain rice, naan or roti. These breakfast potatoes and this hearty salad will be great accompaniments as well.

Some FAQ’s that might arise

Can I use frozen vegetables?

Absolutely! Just throw them in the pan after the ginger garlic paste has lost it’s raw smell. 

Can I make the sauce cheesy? What kind of cheese?

Sure you can! Shredded pepper jack will be my top pick.

You might also like:

Indian Vegetable Fried Rice

Vegetable Grilled Cheese

Ravioli in Creamed Spinach Sauce

Here’s your handy dandy printable:   

Vegetables in Spiced Cream Sauce

Vaishali

Mixed vegetables in a spiced cream sauce with flavors of warm Indian spices. It’s an easy recipe easily customizable by using any seasonal vegetables that get a flavor boost from an easy tandoori cream sauce.

5 from 4 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Servings 6

Ingredients

  

• 3 tablespoon olive oil divided 2 and 1 tbsp
• 1 tablespoon ginger garlic green chili paste green chilies optional exclude if making for kids

VEGGIES see notes

• ½ cup baby bella or white mushrooms wiped clean and quartered
• 1 cup zucchini and/or yellow squash cubed
• ½ cup canned baby corn rinsed and sliced in half, see notes
• ½ cup mixed bell peppers cubed
• ⅓ cup frozen mixed veggies if desired
• ½ cup broccoli separated into small florets

Other Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon chili flakes
• 2 tablespoon butter I used salted
• 2 tablespoon whole wheat flour
• 2 cups milk

SPICES see notes

• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon dry mango powder amchur
• ½ teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
• 1 teaspoon dried kasoori methi
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
• ½ teaspoon garam masala
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• ½ teaspoon garam masala
• 4-6 sprigs cilantro chopped for garnish

Instructions

 

• Set a heavy bottomed pan on high heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil to it. Add the quartered mushrooms to it along with a pinch of salt and saute for 2-3 minutes until the mushrooms are browned and have lost their moisture. Remove the mushrooms from the pan and set aside.
• Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil into it & let the oil heat well. Once the oil is hot add in the ginger garlic green chilli paste (see notes) & cook over high flame briefly, about a minute or until the raw smell of ginger garlic goes away.
• Now add zucchini & yellow squash, toss over high flame for a minute & then add in the mushrooms and remaining veggies along with chilli flakes, toss all the veggies over high flame for a minute.
• Your tossed veggies are ready, remove from the pan and set them aside

For the sauce

• In the same pan, add butter and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Once the butter melts, add in the flour, whisk well & cook over low flame until the flour smells slightly toasted and changes color to a deeper golden brown.
• Now add the milk in three batches while whisking it continuously and making sure there are no lumps. You will notice that the sauce will turn smooth and thicken.
• Once the sauce becomes smooth, add all the powdered spices & stir well, continue to cook the sauce over medium flame for 2-3 minutes before adding the veggies.
• Add the veggies, stir well & cook for 1-2 minutes. Give the dish a taste check and adjust salt and black pepper to your liking.
• Finish with chopped cilantro and serve with spinach rice or bread of your choice.

Notes

Use veggies of your choice or whatever is in season. The veggies have to stay crunchy and retain a bite so choose accordingly. You can also use frozen mixed vegetables.

If you cannot find baby corn, you can use fresh or frozen corn kernels.

You can use store bought tandoori masala instead of all the different spices to bring out the flavor. You will need garam masala, kasoori methi, salt and pepper in addition to the tandoori masala.

You can skip the green chilies in the ginger garlic green chili paste if you don't want to make this dish spicy.

Keyword Corn, Cream Sauce, Indian vegetables, Mushroom, Spices, Tandoori, Vegetarian, White Sauce, zucchini

If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I would love to hear from you guys. And don’t forget to tag me on Instagram and Facebook! I love to look through your creations!!

Love – Vaishali

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Tandoori Masala: Pan: Kasoori Methi: