Vegetable Jalfrezi

A Mughlai  style gravy, cooked with vegetables, that also looks like a  Indian stir fry, is usually served with Indian bread. Jalfrezi has a slightly sweet and sour flavor to it and is presentable at a party with its colorful vegetables.
A flavorful aromatic dish , served in almost all Indian restaurants. 
I like preparing this dish as I know by including these veggies, my family is getting the nutritional value of this dish.
The main work is cutting the veggies :))

Ingredients
100 gm carrots peeled and cut into 1 inch thick julienne style strips
100 gm green  beans , cut similar julienne style
1 small green and yellow bell pepper cut into julienne strips
50 gm green peas, optional 
100 gm florets of cauliflower chopped
100 gm cottage cheese (paneer ) cut into 1 inch strips


For gravy
1 medium Onion, cut lengthwise in thin strips
1 cup tomato purée
1tbsp fresh ginger garlic paste ( you can grate both ginger, garlic to get a paste)
3 to 4 green chilies chopped finely
Salt to taste
1 tsp red chili powder ( I prefer Kashmir chilies as they are not that spicy but do provide the much needed color to the gravy sauce )
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 tsp garam masala ( available at all Indian grocery stores) Again I prefer to use Everest brand but all are good and more or less similar.
1 bay leaf
1 small cinnamon stick
3 to 4 cloves 
2 to 3 big cardamom
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tbsp  butter
2 tsp kasoori methi (available in Indian stores) for garnish/ or freshly cut green coriander leaves.

1/4 cup chopped cashews for garnish

Chopped vegetables and browned onions

Brown sliced onions in 2 tsp vegetable oil

Add bay leave,cloves, cardamom, cinnamom

Add tomato puree

Add vegetables 

Cottage cheese saute 

Add paneer to vegetables 

Cook covered for another 5 to 6 minutes till it all blends into the curry ,check for seasonings

Vegetable Jalfrezi

Garnished with chopped cashews 

Method:

1. Wash all chopped vegetables and boil them  separately in a  cup of  water , with 1/4 tsp salt for about 5 minutes, drain water and keep aside .
2. Heat oil in a medium size pan, add cumin seeds, bay leaf, cinnamon stick , cloves . Allow to splutter , add onions , sauté till light golden , add in ginger garlic paste , green chilies.
Continue stirring. Add in tomato purée and taste for salt, add in red chili powder, turmeric, and garam masala. Cover to cook for about 5 minutes . This is the gravy sauce.
3. In a separate pan , heat butter add in drained pineapple cut into 1 inch . In a separate pan saute paneer (cottage cheese) cubes. Next add in the parboiled veggies and saute in tablespoon of oil.
4. Lastly  add these  vegetables along with paneer to the cooked gravy sauce . Cook covered further another 5 to 6 minutes, close burner. Garnish with kasoori methi/ freshly chopped coriander leaves. Garnish with chopped cashews or green chilies and serve vegetable jalfrezi hot with tandoori naan / or enjoy with Basmati rice.