Vegetable Sagu is a popular side dish recipe from Karnataka prepared with mixed vegetables, and freshly ground masala made of coconut, coriander, fried gram, poppy seeds, and spices. Veg Saagu is typically served with poori, set dosa, chapati, and rava idli.
Vegetable Sagu is a popular curry from Karnataka that is made with a variety of mixed veggies, and freshly ground spiced coconut masala. In most local Karnataka restaurants, it is famously served with poori, a classic and widely loved combination. It is also enjoyed with set dosa, rava idli, or chapati, often paired with coconut chutney and/or sambar.
Veg Saagu recipe holds a special place in my heart, bringing back fond childhood memories. Every Sunday, we would have mixed veg saagu for lunch with poori, often accompanied by desserts like semiya kheer or shrikhand. Sometimes, she would also prepare curries like Bombay sagu, beetroot kurma, or veg korma for poori.
This curry can easily be adapted into a no-onion, no-garlic version by skipping these ingredients—it still tastes amazing! Veg Sagu is vegan, gluten-free, and always a hit at potlucks and family dinners.
Ingredients
- Green Masala Paste Ingredients: Use fresh/frozen grated coconut, green chilies, ginger, garlic, putani (dalia), poppy seeds (khus khus), coriander seeds, mint (pudina) leaves, cumin seeds, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and water.
- Vegetables: I used onions, carrots, beans, green peas, and potatoes.
- Oil: You can use any cooking oil. For best results, use ghee.
- Tempering Ingredients: used mustard seeds, urad dal, and curry leaves.
How to Make Karnataka Style Vegetable Saagu
Chop all the vegetables. Transfer the chopped veggies like carrots, green beans, potatoes, green peas, 1 cup of water into a pressure cooker. Add a little salt and a pinch of turmeric. Pressure Cook for 1 whistle.
Note: Ensure the veggies are cooked right, neither uncooked nor too mushy. You can also steam the veggies in the cooker or microwave.
Meanwhile, In a blender, add all the ingredients listed under "for grinding":
- ½ cup fresh coconut
- 2-3 green chilies
- 1-inch ginger
- 3 cloves garlic, optional
- ½ cup coriander leaves
- 2 tablespoons mint leaves, optional
- 2 tablespoons fried gram (dalia, putani)
- 1 teaspoon poppy seeds (khus khus)
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ inch cinnamon stick
- 2 cloves
- 1 cardamom
- ½-3/4 cup water for blending
to a smooth paste. Keep aside.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a kadai. Once hot, add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds and 1 teaspoon urad dal. Saute for a few seconds till the dal turns light brown.
Then, add 1 stalk of curry leaves and finely chopped onions. Saute until they turn translucent.
Then add the ground masala and saute for 2-3 minutes until the raw smell of the paste disappears.
Add the cooked veggies along with the water and mix well. At this stage, add more water if required to adjust the consistency and salt to taste.
Bring the mixture to a boil for 1-2 minutes on low heat. Delicious vegetable sagu is ready. Enjoy it with poori, chapati, or rava idli.
How to Serve Mix Veg Saagu?
Serve this Karnataka-style vegetable sagu with piping hot poori, chapati, set dosa, or rava idli.
Tips to Make the Best Vegetable Sagu
- Adding khus khus is optional; however, it enhances the taste and richness of the gravy.
- Ensure the vegetables are cooked right. If they are overcooked, the sagu will turn mushy.
Variations
- Dont have Fried gram (putani): You can substitute fried gram with cashews or use them alongside fried gram to make the sagu richer and more flavorful.
- No whole spices: Instead of using whole spices like cumin seeds, cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom, you can substitute them with garam masala powder for convenience and a similar flavor.
- Add Other Vegetables: You can also use other veggies like cauliflower, broccoli, knol knol, or chow chow.
- Protein Rich: I sometimes add paneer cubes to make it a protein-rich curry.
- No Onion No Garlic: If you want to make this veg sagu without onion and garlic, simply skip them.
Vegetable Sagu (Karnataka Style)
Ingredients
For Grinding
- ½ cup fresh coconut
- 2-3 green chilies
- 1 inch ginger
- 3 cloves garlic optional
- ½ cup coriander leaves
- 2 tablespoons mint leaves optional
- 2 tablespoons fried gram (dalia, putani)
- 1 teaspoon poppy seeds (khus khus)
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ inch cinnamon stick
- 2 cloves
- 1 cardamom
- ½-3/4 cup water for blending
Other Ingredients for Veg Sagu
- 2 tablespoons oil
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon urad dal
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 1 medium onion finely chopped, optional
- 2 cups mixed veggies (carrot, beans, potato, green peas)
- 1 cup water to cook the veggies
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- salt to taste
Instructions
Stovetop Method
- Chop all the vegetables. Transfer the chopped veggies like carrots, green beans, potatoes, green peas, 1 cup of water into a pressure cooker. Add a little salt and a pinch of turmeric. Pressure Cook for 1 whistle.Note: Ensure the veggies are cooked right, neither uncooked, or too mushy. You can also steam the veggies in the cooker or microwave.
- Meanwhile, In a blender, add all the ingredients listed under "for grinding" like coconut, green chilies, ginger, garlic, coriander leaves, mint leaves, putani (dalia), poppy seeds (khus khus), cumin seeds, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and little water to a smooth paste. Keep aside.
- Heat oil in a kadai, once hot, add mustard seeds and urad dal. Saute for a few seconds till the dal turns light brown.
- Then, add curry leaves and finely chopped onions. Saute until they turn translucent.
- Next, Add the ground masala and saute for 2-3 minutes until the raw smell of the paste disappears.
- Add the cooked veggies along with the water and mix well. At this stage, add more water if required to adjust the consistency and salt to taste.
- Bring the mixture to a boil for 1-2 minutes on low heat. Delicious vegetable sagu is ready. Enjoy it with poori, chapati, or rava idli.
Notes
Variations
- Dont have Fried gram (putani): You can substitute fried gram with cashews or use them alongside fried gram to make the sagu richer and more flavorful.
- No whole spices: Instead of using whole spices like cumin seeds, cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom, you can substitute them with garam masala powder for convenience and a similar flavor.
- Add Other Vegetables: You can also use other veggies like cauliflower, broccoli, knol knol, or chow chow.
- Protein Rich: I sometimes add paneer cubes to make it a protein-rich curry.
- No Onion No Garlic: If you want to make this veg sagu without onion and garlic, simply skip them.
Tips to Make the Best Vegetable Sagu
- Adding khus khus is optional; however, it enhances the taste and richness of the gravy.
- Ensure the vegetables are cooked right. If they are overcooked, the sagu will turn mushy.
Nutrition
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