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Veg handi is made with a variety of boiled vegetables like potatoes, cauliflower, carrots, and paneer. These are mixed with different aromatic whole spices. A mildly spicy gravy is made with schezwan chutney, ginger-garlic paste and a lot of other spices and the boiled vegetables are slowly cooked in a sealed handi. The dish gets a royal touch with fresh cream, milk, and grated paneer added in the end. Read my easy recipe to learn the steps to make veg handi at home.

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KEY TAKEAWAYS

Veg handi is a popular North Indian restaurant-style dish loved across India for its rich and flavorful gravy.
Serve it with butter naan, roti, paratha, or jeera rice for a complete meal.

Veg handi has an earthy, mildly spicy, and creamy taste with a hint of sweetness from the vegetables and cream.
Other similar recipes are Shahi paneer, vegetable korma, navratan korma, and paneer butter masala.

The Ingredients:

To boil the veggies:

2 pieces potatoes (whole, peeled)
2 pieces tomatoes (whole, slightly slit)
2 pieces onions (whole, peeled)
1 piece carrot (whole, peeled)
300 grams cauliflower (small florets)
¼ tsp salt
4 pieces paneer
5 pieces cashew nuts (broken in half)
½ cup water (warm)
1 tsp ghee (clarified butter)
3 pieces green cardamoms (whole)
4 pieces cloves
10 pieces black peppercorn
½ tsp cumin seeds
1 piece cinnamon stick (small piece)
1 tbsp coriander seeds

To make the spice mixture:

2 tsp coriander seed powder
1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
¼ tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp schezwan chutney
1 tsp ginger and garlic paste
2 tbsp water

To cook the gravy:

2 tbsp cooking oil
½ tsp cumin seeds
1 piece bay leaf (large, torn in half)
¼ cup cream (or malai)
3 pieces green chilies (whole)
1/3 cup green peas (fresh or frozen)
100 grams paneer (cut into small cubes)
Salt to taste
1 tsp butter
Coriander leaves (a handful, fresh, finely chopped)
½ cup milk (warm)

To seal the handi:

2 tbsp wheat flour
Water (as much as required)

To garnish veg handi:

Coriander leaves (a few, finely chopped)
Paneer (a few, grated)

I learned this recipe from a relative. The way she prepared the dish attracted my attention. It provided a warm flavor that also contained cream and milk as special elements that made it stand out. When I asked, she described the entire process in detail along with a few expert tips. I noted them all down in my kitchen diary so that I would not forget them later.

I made it for my family the next weekend. The dish turned out nice and tasty, just as I wanted. My husband gave his approval of the dish before taking a second serving while my sons ate their food without making any problems. Their reactions to my cooking brought me both satisfaction and confidence in my culinary abilities. The experience of watching them eat together brought even greater meaning to the event. I felt deep gratitude and appreciation for discovering this amazing recipe.

How to Make Veg Handi? (Step by Step Guide with Images)

Step 1: Fry 3 pieces of whole green cardamom, 4 pieces of cloves, 10 pieces of black peppercorns, ½ tsp of cumin seeds, 1 piece of cinnamon stick (small piece), and 1 tbsp of coriander seeds in 1 tsp of ghee.

Step 2: Add 2 pieces of potatoes (whole, peeled), 2 pieces of whole tomatoes (slightly slit), 2 pieces of whole, peeled onions, 1 piece of carrot (whole, peeled), 300 grams of cauliflower (in small florets), and 4 pieces of paneer.

Step 3: Add ¼ tsp of salt and 5 pieces of cashew nuts (broken in half).

Step 4: Add ½ cup of water. Cover and cook up to 1 whistle.

Step 5: Mix 2 tsp of coriander seed powder, 1 tsp of Kashmiri red chili powder, ¼ tsp of turmeric powder, 1 tsp of schezwan chutney, and 1 tsp of ginger and garlic paste in 2 tbsp of water.

Step 6: Remove all veggies from the pressure cooker. Leave the rest to cool down.

Step 7: Remove the skin from the boiled tomatoes. Make a paste along with the boiled onions and the remaining ingredients in the cooker.

Step 8: Dice potatoes, carrots, and 100 grams of paneer into small pieces. Also, take 1/3 cup green peas (fresh or frozen).

Step 9: In a handi, fry ½ tsp of cumin seeds and 1 piece of large bay leaf (torn in half) in 2 tbsp of cooking oil. Add the spice mixture, then the masala paste, and ¼ cup cream (or malai).

Step 10: Add 3 pieces of whole green chilies, cover and cook. Check texture.

Step 11: Add veggies, peas, 1 tsp of butter, a handful of finely chopped fresh coriander leaves, salt to taste, and ½ cup of warm milk.

Step 12: Seal the handi with a little bit of wheat flour dough and cook for 8 to 10 minutes on a low to medium flame. Use a knife to open it when done.