Harsh's Corner

Recipe: Making a Homestyle Indian Curry

Posted on Jan 25, 2025

Some friends of mine asked me how to make homestyle Indian curries. We Indians are good at it; we make many types of Sabzi सब्ज़ी that non-Indians simply call “curry”. Sabzi literally means vegetables. Today, I’m excited to share a versatile curry recipe that’s perfect for anyone looking to explore Indian cooking.

The recipe is a template or a base recipe for homemade Sabzi. You can use it with any vegetable of your preference or even Chicken (but cooking Chicken will take longer, so remember to adjust for that).

Also know that this is a home cooked curry, not something you would find in an Indian restaurants. Thus, please don’t compare it with what you see in Indian menu. Parts of it I learnt from watching my mother cook, and rest from six years of cooking.

The Heart of Good Sabzi

The beauty of Indian curry lies in its foundation — an aromatic base for vegetables to be fried into, and then turned into the curry. The vegetable (Sabzi) could be cauliflower (Gobi) resulting in Gobi Sabzi; eggplant/brinjal (Baigan Sabzi); mushrooms (Mushroom Sabzi); okra/ladyfingers (Bhindi Sabzi); or even a mixture of them (Mix Sabzi or Mix Veg).

Let’s start with what you’ll need. Don’t worry if the ingredient list seems long – most of these items can be found in your local grocery store, and the rest are worth a special trip to an Indian market. Trust me, your taste buds will thank you!

Your Shopping List

For the aromatic base, gather:

  1. 2-3 tablespoons of your preferred cooking oil1
  2. 2 teaspoons each of cumin and mustard seeds
  3. One large onion, finely chopped
  4. 4-5 cloves of garlic and half-thumb size of ginger, chopped (or a tablespoon of ginger garlic paste)
  5. Two medium tomatoes
  6. Two medium potatoes
  7. Fresh green chilies (adjust based on your spice tolerance, 1 for low, 3-5 for high)
  8. Fresh cilantro for that final touch
  9. Salt to taste

Masala (Spices)

  1. Turmeric (Haldi): Gives curry its signature golden color and has anti-inflammatory properties
  2. Garam Masala: A warming blend of ground spices, essential for most Indian dishes
  3. Red Chili Powder: Adds heat and color (start with less if you’re sensitive to spice)

Additionally, you should get some spice mix. Traditional homes don’t use them but they’re necessary unless you know what proportion of ten different spices to use every single time. MDH or Everest are good brands for spice mix (found in Indian stores).

  • MDH/Everest Sabzi Masala: Perfect for vegetable dishes
  • Kitchen King by MDH: A versatile blend that enhances any curry’s flavor

Don’t feel restricted by the labels—you can use Biryani masala in curry; off-label usage is okay. You can mix different masalas to create your own unique flavor profiles.

Recommended Combination

  • For basic curry: Turmeric + Garam Masala +Sabzi Masala
  • For extra flavor: Add Kitchen King to the basic combination
  • For heat lovers: Add extra red chili powder any combination

Remember: Start with small amounts of masala and add more to taste - you can always add, but you can’t subtract!

Choose Your Main Vegetable(s)

You can use zero, one or multiple vegetables. Each vegetable has its own taste. Using no vegetable would be Tamatar-Aloo Sabzi or (Tomato-Potato Curry).

  • Cauliflower: 1 medium head, cut into florets
  • Eggplant: 2 medium, cubed
  • Mixed vegetables: 2-3 cups of your choice
  • Mushrooms: 8-10 oz, quartered
  • Bell peppers: 1-2, chopped

Instructions

Base Curry Preparation

  1. Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat.
  2. Once hot, add cumin and mustard seeds. Wait for them to sputter (about 30 seconds).
  3. Add chopped onions. Cook until translucent (5-7 minutes).
  4. Add ginger and garlic. Sauté for 2 minutes.
  5. Add turmeric powder and stir for 30 seconds. Important: Add turmeric before water as it needs to cook in oil (in any cooking).
  6. Add garam masala and other dry spices. Stir for 1 minute.
  7. Add tomatoes, potatoes and chopped green chillies. Add salt. Cook until tomatoes soften (5 minutes).
  8. Add your chosen vegetable(s).

Cooking Process

  1. Monitor moisture levels:
  1. If too dry: Add small amounts of water (1/4 cup at a time)
  2. If too wet: Cook uncovered until excess water evaporates
  1. Alternate between covered and uncovered cooking:
  1. Cover to help vegetables release water and steam
  2. Uncover to reduce liquid and intensify flavors
  1. Cook until vegetables reach desired tenderness (15-20 minutes).
  2. Garnish with fresh cilantro.

Pro-Tips

  1. Spice Adjustment:

    • Start with less spice; you can always add more. If you want to add more spices after adding water to the curry, you can do that in the Tadka (described below) or heating the spices first in some oil.
    • Taste frequently and adjust seasonings. You will get better with time.

  2. Tadka (Final Flavor Boost):

    1. Heat 2 tablespoons ghee or oil in a small pan

    2. Add 2-3 dried red chilies

    3. Add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

    4. Add 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder

    5. When spices sputter, pour over finished curry

Consistency in Curry Thickness

Different people have different preferences in the dryness of their curry. Some like dry curries (good for eating with bread) while others like watery curry (good with rice).

  • For dry curry: Use minimal water and cook uncovered
  • For gravy: Add more water and simmer covered
  • Ideal consistency: Vegetables should be well-coated with thick gravy

Final Remarks and Troubleshooting Tips

As long as you follow the basic recipe, there is very less chance of getting something wrong. But remember, it is okay to make mistakes and its likely you will make mistakes. But those mistakes will teach you how to cook better.

The most important ingredient in cooking is time. Remember not to hurry or be too late. Some people hurry up in adding water before the veggies are well fried in spices. Some delay in stirring and the vegetable burns and sticks to the bottom. In that case, add some water and then stir instead of stirring dry.

  1. Different cooking oil have slightly different taste. If you are unsure, choose refined vegetable oil. Don’t use seseme seed oil. Mustard oil will have a strong smell. You can use butter or ghee but you may need a lot; I’ll recommend pairing up with some oil if you use butter or ghee.↩︎