Dairy Free Vegan Vegetable Kolhapuri

Total time1 hr 10 min

Prep time25 min

Cook time45 min

Kolhapuri cuisine is known for its bold, fiery character, and this vegetable curry delivers every bit of that intensity without a drop of dairy anywhere in the recipe. The heart of the dish is a from-scratch masala paste built from toasted whole spices, charred coconut, two kinds of dried red chilies, and fresh ginger and garlic — all blended into a deep, brick-red paste that smells absolutely incredible. Cooking that paste down until the oil separates is the move that unlocks the real depth here, giving the curry a richness that makes it hard to believe there's no butter or cream involved. Hearty vegetables like potato, carrot, cauliflower, and green beans soak up all that spiced, jammy tomato base as they simmer, turning tender and full of flavor. The green peas stirred in at the end add a little sweetness that balances the heat beautifully. This is the kind of plant-based curry that genuinely satisfies — complex, warming, and built entirely from whole ingredients you can feel good about.

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the Kolhapuri masala

3 tbsp neutral oil, divided
Crisco Pure Vegetable Oil Crisco Pure Canola Oil Wesson Pure Vegetable Oil Mazola Cholesterol Free Canola Oil 40 fl oz Pompeian 100% Grapeseed Oil
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½ cup fresh or frozen grated coconut
1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
4 dried kashmiri red chilies, stems removed
2 dried hot red chilies (such as byadgi or arbol), stems removed
1 tsp coriander seeds
½ tsp cumin seeds
4 black peppercorns
3 cloves
1 inch cinnamon stick
½ tsp poppy seeds
½ tsp sesame seeds
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
½ tsp ground turmeric

For the curry

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
1 cup cauliflower florets (about 1-inch pieces)
1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into ½-inch rounds
1 medium potato, peeled and cut into ¾-inch cubes
½ cup green peas (fresh or frozen)
1 cup water

For serving

2 tbsp fresh cilantro, roughly chopped (optional)

Instructions

1
Heat a small dry skillet over medium heat. Add the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, black peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon stick, poppy seeds, and sesame seeds and toast, stirring constantly, until fragrant and the seeds begin to darken slightly, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool.
2
In the same small skillet, heat 1 tbsp of the oil over medium heat. Add the grated coconut and cook, stirring frequently, until golden and lightly toasted, about 3–4 minutes. Transfer to the plate with the toasted spices.

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