Vegetable Jalfrezi
Recipe: Vegetable Jalfrezi
Vegetable Jalfrezi is a popular, spicy, tangy side dish or curry. Mixed vegetables are stir fried and added to a tomato based gravy. The vegetables are cooked on high heat till a bit crispy but not overcooked. They are then added to a tomato based gravy which is thick. In fact this is one curry which is almost dryish in the sense that there is not much gravy. Generally served with roti, paratha, naan or rice.
What Is Jalfrezi?
A jalfrezi is a popular Anglo Indian curry dish. It was created in Bengal during the British Raj. Leftover meat was stir fried, a for of cooking learnt from the Chinese. Though jhal means spicy in the Bengali language, the curry back then was not too spicy as it had to suit the British palate. Curry powder was added to a sauce back, and the leftover stir fried meat was added. As a matter of fact back then this dish was not considered a curry dish as it lacked too much gravy. Enough sauce was added just to coat the meat. Frezi is stir fry. Nowadays one finds jalfrezi with a fiery tangy tomato based sauce or gravy. However, the meat or vegetables don’t ‘float’ in the curry. It is almost semi dry.
The credit of inventing this dish goes to the Governor General for the state of Bengal Lord Marcus Sandys, who enjoyed spicy Indian foods. Fact or fiction, the British definitely left behind an amazingly finger licking curry! Stir fried mixed vegetables was the answer for the vegetarians. And usually the vegetables are left a bit chunky. With every bite one should get the crunch from the vegetables.
Sharing Vegetable Jalfrezi With 2026 Alphabet Challenge Group
Wendy who blogs at A Day in the Life on the Farm has now had this challenge running for the 3rd year. And I’ve participated in the previous two. These challenges give me the opportunity to try out new recipes, bookmarked ones and redo old posts. Vegetable Jalfrezi has been on my list like forever. Finally the time has come to share the recipe through this challenge. Hubby’s remark “why haven’t you made it before, it is so delicious?” Oh, well guess the right time is now. We’re now on letter J. As I am cooking curries, dals, sabjis from letter A-Z, with letter J it had to be either a Jackfruit curry or Jalfrezi.
J is for Jalfrezi
Some Recipes With Letter J You May Like
Letter J Recipes By Members Of The Group
- Sneha’s Recipe: Aloo Tamatar Jhol – No Onion No Garlic
- Blogghetti: Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers
- A Day in the Life on the Farm: Cowboy Candy
- Mildly Indian: Jackfruit Seed Stirfry
- Food Lust People Love: Jãgersuppe – Hunter’s Soup
- Jolene’s Recipe Journal: Coconut Cherry Jasmine Rice
- Karen’s Kitchen Stories: Jicama Slaw with Carrots, Cucumbers, and Bell Peppers
- A Messy Kitchen: Juniper Butter Cookies
- Mayuri’s Jikoni: Veg Jalfrezi
Check Out My 2024 Alphabet Challenge Journey
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Ingredients Required For Vegetable Jalfrezi
Mixed Vegetables
Add any vegetables of your choice. Generally restaurants add cauliflower, peas, carrots and green bell peppers. Besides those I’ve added mushrooms, snow peas, French Beans (green beans). Instead of green bell pepper I chose a coloured one. The vegetables should be cut into chunks. Green beans can be about 2 inches long. I didn’t chop the snow peas, just trimmed the ends off. As for the mushrooms, depending on the size, small ones can be cut into halves and larger ones into quarters.
Tomato
I add both chopped tomato and fresh tomato puree. Helps to make the gravy or sauce a bit more thicker. The thicker the sauce, it coats the vegetables better. Prepare the fresh tomato puree at home or use passata or canned tomato puree.
Tomato Ketchup
Yes you read right, tomato ketchup in a curry! Perhaps introduced by the British. Don’t omit this ingredient as it adds flavour, tanginess and makes the colour of the jalfrezi reddish orange.
Onion
Preferably red onion as that is the most common one used in India. Medium sized onion, peeled and sliced thickly, Then we need extra onion for the gravy or sauce. Finely chop red onion till you have about 1 cup.
Garlic
Peeled and sliced. About 1 tbsp sliced.
Ginger
Peel and cut about 1 inch ginger into juliennes.
Green Chilli
Can slice them or split into halves. Add according to your taste. I added only 1 as the chillis I have at the moment are extra hot.
Salt
Add according to your taste.
Sugar
About 1 tsp to balance all the flavours.
Oil
Any oil of your choice. I have used sunflower oil.
Ghee
Optional. I add 1 tbsp for the aroma and flavour. For a vegan version omit ghee.
Whole Dry Red Chilli
About 1-2 pieces.
Cumin Seeds
Also known as jeera or jiru. We will be using for tempering or vaghar.
Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder
It is mild but adds a natural red colour to the jalfrezi.
Garam Masala
Can use ready made or homemade. I prefer to use homemade Garam Masala.
Coriander Powder
Easily available in all Indian Stores and most supermarkets.
Cumin Powder
Adds an earthy flavour. Easily available in all Indian stores and most supermarkets. Alternately, dry roast some cumin seeds till you get the aroma. Cool the seeds a bit and grind to a fine powder.
Fennel Powder
Not easily available therefore I make mine at home. Dry roast fennel seeds over low heat in a pan till you get the aroma. Cool the seeds and then grind to a powder. Make a small batch as the flavour disappears fast.
Kasuri Methi
Dried fenugreek leaves. It is easily available in the supermarket or Indian stores.
Turmeric Powder
Known as haldi, hardar. A spice that has become easy to source since the Golden Milk or Haldi Doodh became famous in the Western World.
Fresh Coriander
Wash and chop fresh coriander or cilantro. If the stems are tender, include them.
VEGETABLE JALFREZI
Ingredients
VEGETABLES
- 50 g french beans, 2 inch pieces approximately ½ cup,
- 55 g bell pepper any colour, thick slices approximately ½ cup
- 40 g onion, thick slices approximately ½ cup
- 80 g mushrooms, halved or quartered approximately 1 cup
- 85 g cauliflower bite size florets approximately 1 cup
- 45 g carrot, cut into batons approximately ½ cup
- 50 g snow peas, trim the ends approximately ½ cup
- 80 g tomato, diced approximately 1 cup, chopped
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 tbsp ghee
- ¾ tsp salt
FOR THE SPICE MIXTURE
- 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- ½ tsp cumin powder
- ½ tsp fennel powder
- 1 tbsp kasuri methi
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
FOR THE SAUCE OR GRAVY
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 whole dry red chilli
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- 1 cup onion finely chopped approximately 90g
- 1-2 green chillis chopped or split into halves
- 1 tbsp garlic slices
- 1 inch ginger cut into juliennes
- 200 g tomato puree |passata approximately 1 cup
- 2 tbsp tomato ketchup
- 1 tsp sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup water
- 2 tbsp fresh coriander chopped
Instructions
MIX THE SPICE POWDERS
- Mix all the spices indicated under the spice mixture.
PREPARE THE VEGETABLES
- Peel and cut carrot into thick sticks or batons.
- Cut the French beans into 1½-2 inch long pieces. Make sure to trim the ends.
- Cut the onion and bell pepper into thick slices.
- Separate the cauliflower into bite size florets.
- Cut the mushrooms into thick slices . Or cut them into halves or quarters depending on the size.
- Cut the tomato into small pieces.
PREPARE THE GRAVY OR SAUCE
- Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wide pan over medium heat.
- Add the cumin seeds and whole red chilli.
- As soon as the seeds begin to sizzle, add the finely chopped onion.
- Stir fry the onion till it becomes light pink in colour and soft.
- Add the garlic slices. Stir fry for 1 minute.
- Add the ginger juliennes and the chopped green chilli. Stir fry for 1 minute.
- Add the mixed spice mixture. Mix well.
- Add 2 tbsp water. This stops the spice powders from burning.
- Add the tomato puree and ketchup. Mix well.
- Add salt, sugar and ½ cup water. Mix well.
- Cover the pan and allow the sauce or gravy to simmer for 5 minutes over low to medium heat.
STIR FRY THE VEGETABLES
- Add oil and ghee in a wide pan over high heat. Add more oil if you want to.
- When it becomes hot, add the French beans, carrots and snow peas.
- Add ¼ tsp salt and stir fry for 2-3 minutes. Keep on stirring so that the vegetables do not burn.
- Add the sliced onion, bell pepper and cauliflower. Add ¼ tsp salt.
- Stri fry the mixture for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the mushrooms and ⅛ tsp salt.
- Stir fry for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the chopped tomato and ⅛ tsp salt. Stir fry for 1-2 minutes.
- Cover the pan with a lid and allow the vegetables to cook for 2-3 minutes.
FINAL PREPARATION
- Add the prepared sauce or gravy to the vegetable mixture.
- Add chopped coriander. Mix well.
- Allow the jalfrezi to simmer for 2-3 minutes.
- Serve with some roti, paratha or naan.
Notes
- Don't over cook the vegetables. They should be a bit crunchy.
- Add little water if you feel the veggies are burning when you stir fry them.
- Adjust the spices according to your taste.
- Can add paneer or tofu cubes if you wish.
- If you want to add chicken, can use leftover roasted chicken. It usually is a mixture of boneless chicken pieces and vegetables.
- If you use uncooked chicken, marinate the boneless pieces with the spice mixture, salt and lemon juice. Stir fry the chicken. Then add the stir fried vegetables and sauce.
- Add vegetables of your choice.
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