MSG Free Vegan Vegetable Kolhapuri

Total time1 hr 10 min

Prep time25 min

Cook time45 min

Kolhapuri cuisine is known for its bold, fiery depth, and this vegetable curry delivers every bit of that intensity using nothing but whole spices, fresh aromatics, and a handful of pantry staples. The heart of the dish is a from-scratch masala paste built by toasting coriander, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, poppy seeds, and sesame seeds, then blending them with caramelized onion, garlic, ginger, toasted coconut, and two kinds of dried red chilies into a thick, deeply fragrant base. Because every component of that paste is made by hand, there's no need to worry about flavor enhancers or additives that sneak into store-bought spice blends. The masala gets cooked down until the oil separates and the color deepens, which is where all that rich, layered flavor really locks in. Hearty vegetables — potato, carrot, cauliflower, green beans, and peas — simmer right in the sauce until they're perfectly tender and coated in every bit of that spiced base. It's a genuinely satisfying, plant-based meal that tastes like it took far more effort than it actually did, and a scatter of fresh cilantro on top ties everything together beautifully.

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the Kolhapuri masala

3 tbsp neutral oil, divided
½ cup fresh or frozen grated coconut
1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
4 dried kashmiri red chilies, stems removed
Pepper Chili Fresno Peppers Holland Long Red Chili - 0.25 Lb Peppers Chili Thai Mesilla Valley Hot Red Chile Pods 8Oz Lucinda's Red Fresno Chili Peppers
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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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