vegan aloo mutter with okra and edamame

Aloo mutter is another dish I like for lunch at Rotee Express on Howard and Spear. I like Rotee Express though invariably, they always serve their food cold. Apparently, due to a lack of space in the tiny restaurant, the food is made at their main location and then shipped over.

They’re the inspiration for this dish, though I’ve no idea of their recipe and, of course, I served mine warm. It does require a fair number of various spices, which is exciting. I love to try different spice blends and I’m slowly getting a handle on Indian cooking. Cooking Indian still feels like a lab experiment but one that’s becoming more familiar with practice. So don’t be put off by the ingredient list on this one. It’s really good and good for you, too. And you can show off to your friends and loved ones when you present a homemade Indian masterpiece.

I love experimenting with new spices, like amchoor powder

Vegan Aloo Mutter with Okra and Edamame

1 lb medium sized potatoes, skin on, quartered
1 cup fresh shelled frozen edamame
1 cup fresh frozen okra
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 jalapeño pepper, seeds and ribs discarded then minced
1 large onion, run through food processor
¾ tbsp ground fresh ginger
1 tsp mashed garlic
2 ripe Roma tomatoes, run through food processor
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp turmeric
1 tsp amchoor powder (green mango powder)
1/8 tsp ground chili pepper
1 cup water
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tbsp cashew nut butter
Kosher salt

Garnish:

cilantro leaves, fresh onion and wedges of lemon or lime.

...and cumin seeds

Place olive oil in pressure cooker (If you don’t have one, use a regular deep pan. You’ll just have to cook it longer.) Add cumin seeds and cook until aromatic and slightly browned, about a minute or so. Add jalapeño, followed by processed onion. Sauté until onion becomes translucent. Add garlic and ginger. Continue sautéing for a couple of minutes more, stirring constantly. Fold in ground cumin, turmeric, chili pepper, coriander and amchoor powder. Stir in tomatoes. Cook for 4 minutes. Add potatoes and water. Seal the pressure cooker and cook on high for 3-4 minutes after valve starts whistling. Shake the pan a few times to prevent sticking. Remove from heat. Run some cold water over sealed pan to cool it and release pressure so it will open.

Stir in edamane, okra and cashew nut butter. Return to heat for another minute until edamane becomes softer. Add nutritional yeast and stir again. Remove from heat then let cool down for 5-10 min and serve! This dish, like a lot of Indian food, seems to taste even better the next day, after it’s been sitting around for a while.

I garnished the aloo mutter with fresh cilantro leaves, fresh sliced onion and lime wedges. It went really well with with carrot cumin basmati rice. We drank a bottle of a scrumptious white Côtes Du Rhône, the 2008 Domaine de la Becassonne,which matched perfectly.