Vegetable Curries

I may be biased when I say that Indians are masters at creating magic when furnished with just about any vegetable grown on this planet. Not only are vegetables important in the millions of vegetarian homes across India, they are also a key player in kitchens that simmer meat, fish, and poultry dishes. It is not uncommon to find two or three vegetable dishes at the family table at any meal, and that significance is evident in this book. This chapter carries a huge weight (literally and figuratively), reflecting the way we eat in India. Often the vegetable is the protagonist with protein-based dishes playing supporting roles, which is quite the opposite of what we find in the European and North American kitchens. In the average kitchen in the United States, vegetables—other than potatoes, onions, tomatoes, green beans, broccoli, and corn—don’t seem to make their presence known. And the vegetables I grew up on—okra, taro root, bottle gourd squash, eggplant, plantain—appear even less often. Vegetables may be sides in American and European kitchens, but in an Indian’s home they are an absolute must at every meal, including breakfast, and very often they are featured prominently as the main course. When you consider the role of vegetables in India’s rich history, it is easy to understand their significance today.