Chapri Ghonto/Summer Vegetables Medley

Chapri ghonto/Summer Vegetables Medley

Chapri ghonto is a dish I strongly associate with my childhood. This dish has no onions, no garlic and no spices and it is soothing on the tummy, especially in the hot summer months.

Since most summer veggies have a high water content this dish requires no outside help. The veggies cook in their own juice without any kind of spices or masalas overpowering their freshness.

The only thing to keep in mind while preparing for the dish is that all the vegetables should be of roughly the same amount and they are to be chopped in equivalent sizes.

Ingredients

2 karela

3 parwal

1 cucumber

1 brinjal

4 jhinga

Salt to taste

Pinch of sugar

½ tsp turmeric

1 tbsp ghee

1 tsp ginger paste

For the chapri

1 cup chana dal, soaked overnight

For tempering

1 tsp mustard seeds

2 bay leaf

2 dry red chillies

Chop the vegetables in equal sizes.

Grind the chana dal with a little water and salt. Heat some oil and then tip the entire chana dal batter in one go.

It will look like a pancake. Fry both sides well and then break the pancake into big chunks. Your chapri is ready.

Heat some oil. Add the mustard seeds, bay leaf and dry red chilies.

 Fry the karela first because it takes the longest to cook. Then add all the vegetables. Sauté for 3-4 minutes. 

Add some sugar, salt and turmeric. 

Cover and cook till done. There is no need to add water as the vegetables will release their own liquid. They stew in their own juices. Before taking it off the flame add some ghee and ginger paste.