Saturday, August 3, 2019

Kasundi Braised Vegetables

Root veggies, mushrooms and chickpeas get braised in homemade Tomato Kasundi for a spicy, hearty meal perfect for serving over rice!


Ever go pantry diving? I try to go into our double-deep cupboards at least twice a year, pulling out things and sorting what needs to be used and in what order. This time, however, was a bit different. I actually discovered a jar of homemade Tomato Kasundi - from 2013! - in our cold cellar, and while the contents were still okay I didn't really want it to sit around any longer. Luckily, I also had a wide array of our kitchen staples on hand having also gone grocery shopping - carrots, onions, mushrooms, and a can of chickpeas. Having seen braised chickpeas floating around the web before, I wondered if I could do the same thing with this richly flavoured, slightly spicy sauce.

The method of throwing this dish together wasn't really a recipe at all in the grand scheme of things - what I used worked for us, but if you have other veggies or legumes you like by all means give them a shot too! I personally can't wait to make more kasundi so that I can try this braise with eggplant and lentils in addition to the other veggies, maybe with a handful of spinach or mustard greens stirred in for colour too. In the end, the long braise allows for the sharp tang and heat of the kasundi to mellow slightly, while the rich flavours soak into the veggies and make the whole pot beg for a bed of rice or grains to soak up every drop. I'd be lying if I said we didn't pick at this cold too - but then again what better way to graze?



Kasundi Braised Vegetables
Serves 4
4 cups Tomato Kasundi (you can find it in specialty markets but I made my own)
4 cups water
3 large carrots, peeled and chopped roughly
1 large onion, chopped roughly
1 lb cremini mushrooms, quartered
1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped roughly
1/2 large head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 (19 oz) cans chickpeas, one drained, one not
  1. Heat the oven to 350F.
  2. In a large casserole dish, combine all the ingredients, stirring well.
  3. Cover tightly and bake for 2 hours.
  4. Uncover and bake 30 minutes, to reduce the sauce.
  5. Serve with rice.

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