Vegetable stew recipe is side dish for appam and idiyappam. It is a coconut milk base, mild spiced flavourful dish.Â

You can prepare this for breakfast or dinner when ever you prepare appam or idiyappam.
Check out my red rice puttu recipe in my website and idiyappam recipe that goes well with this stew.
Side dish
We always eat appam with sweetened (with jaggery) coconut milk. But when we had our dinner last month in Mango tree restaurant here in SG, for appam we ordered Vegetable ishtu from their menu.
Till then I have not tasted any stew. It was so simple, plain, pure white, with veggies and only the ginger flavour that wafted from the stew.
For me it was smelling like the potato masala we make for poori, but with the richness of coconut milk and onion, it was just tasting and smelling divinely.
So I tried at home, with recipe partially adapted from Divya’s blog, as well as keeping in mind of what I had in the restaurant. I could not get the pure white they had, but tasted the same.
Ingredients
- Onion
- Ginger
- Green chilli
- Curry leaves
- vegetables
- Coconut milk
See recipe card for full list and quantities.
My notes
I have updated this recipe with corn flour in it. The first time I tried, made without corn flour.
Had no issues in coconut milk splitting. It was probably because my second extract is very thin and diluted with less fat.
I used the Malaysia coconut which is different from the Indian ones. The second milk itself will be very very thin.
While in Indian coconut, we can take 3 extracts. So the second milk also is pretty much fatty. It makes it easily split. That's why I have updated the recipe with corn starch.
Even though I added after the veggies got cooked, I suggest to add along with the thin coconut milk step.
This gives smoothest texture to the stew. Nonetheless in case you forget, add it like me later if you miss.
Top tip
- Do not add lots of oil as it will affect the look of the stew (texture too). Coconut milk have enough fat, we do not want more extra, haha!
- You can have the boiled vegetables separately ready and add to the stew instantly. This gives most whitish stew.
Can we use coconut milk powder or readymade coconut milk in cartons?
Definitely yes. If using coconut milk powder (or coconut cream powder), prepare milk as per package instructions. For thin coconut milk, use it diluted with water.
Same way, for carton coconut milk, dilute and use for thin coconut milk.
Hint: While choosing carton coconut milk, avoid ones with thickening agents and go for organic and additive free by reading the ingredienst carefully.
Recipe card
Vegetable stew recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups Grated coconut from 1 large Indian coconut
- 1 Carrot
- 1 Potato
- 7 Beans
- 8 Cauliflower florets small bite size pieces
- 1 teaspoon Corn flour corn starch
- 1 tablespoon Ginger grated
- 2 Green chilli slit
- 1 sprig Curry leaves
- Salt
- 1 tablespoon Oil I used coconut oil
Instructions
How to extract coconut milk for vegetable stew
- Firstly grind the coconut with ½ to ¾ cup water in a mixie, till smooth.
- Place a bowl with large metal strainer on top. Transfer the ground paste to it.
- Squeeze the milk in small portions to collect thick extract. Set aside.
- Transfer the squeezed coconut back to the mixie. Add 1 cup luke warm water to it. Blend again.
- Again repeat the process to extract thin coconut milk. Set aside separately.
Prepare stew
- Cut the veggies to thin stripes as shown in the picture. Slit the green chillies and slice onion.
- Heat pan with oil, add ginger, green chillies ,curry leaves, followed by onion.
- Cook in medium flame, taking care, not to turn the onion colour. It should just be transparent.
- Add the vegetables to it with 1 cup water, required salt and the thin coconut milk.
- Dissolve 1 teaspoon corn flour (corn starch) in 1 tablespoon of water and add to it. This gives smooth texture to stew without coconut milk split. I added in next stage but recommend at this stage.
- Bring to boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Let the veggies cook (without over cooking).
- Then add the thick coconut milk, just keep in low flame for a minute and put of the stove.
- Garnish with few torn curry leaves.
Video
Notes
- Try not to change the colour of onion as it will change the stew colour too…
- I added the veggies that I saw in the restaurant, it had cauliflower. You can make it with just boiled potato as well.Â
Vegetable stew method
- First grind the coconut with ½ – ¾ cup water and grind till smooth and extract the thick milk using a strainer.
- Again add 1 cup warm water to the coconut gratings and grind for a minute.
- Collect thin coconut milk from the above.
- Cut the veggies to thin stripes (I used baby beans) as shown in the picture. Slit the green chillies and onion. Heat pan with oil add ginger,green chillies ,curry leaves,followed by onion.( I tried adding bay leaf and cardamom, but took it off in the middle as it dominated the other flavors. So I omitted in the ingredients)
- Cook in medium flame, taking care, not to turn the onion colour. It should just be transparent. Boil the veggies with salt and the thin coconut milk along with this fried onion. Add corn flour dissolved in 1 tablespoon of water at this stage.
- Let the veggies cook (without turning the veggies mushy),then add the thick coconut milk.
- just keep in low flame for a minute and put of the stove.
Stew is ready to enjoy with aapam! The onion, ginger and curry leaves along with coconut milk makes the stew smell divinely!
Kalpana Sareesh
Stew is a wonderful dish i loved it wen i first tasted at green park. Ur stew is so colorful n yumm i love it so much..
srividhya Ravikumar
wow..what a beautiful colour..love it Raks..
Shanthi
Love it Raks. Beautiful and awesome as ever.
Sharmilee! :)
Nice beautiful color u have got...I havent tasted stew yet...looks and sounds tempting. Luved the 2nd click
Nithya
Wow.. this stew sounds simple and delicious too. Rich coconut milk!! yummy I say 🙂
Radhika
My friend's mom uses white pepper powder and avoids green chillies and black pepper. lovely clicks Raji.
Nags
each time i see that corningware pathram of yours, i feel like buying one too.
my dad's sis makes the best stew ever! i should get her recipe too. she doesn't add veg though, only potatoes 🙂
Divya
Hi Raji... we often make ishtu in our home only with potatoes as we all love it a lot... i normally boil onion, ginger, potato & just one green chilly together in thin coconut milk till everything gets cooked. finally i will add the thick coconut milk & a pinch of pepper powder and even before it starts boiling will switch off the stove. then add curry leaves & coconut oil, stir it & close the lid. i never used to saute or temper any of the items for ishtu... this way the color wil remain white throughout... Yours look colorful with different veggies... need to try your way...
Vimitha Anand
Simple and great side dish for aapams...
RAKS KITCHEN
Hi Divya, thanks much for letting me know the way you make, will sure try next time and make 'white' stew 🙂
Kaveri
Stew looks good...a great combo with aapams
S.Menaga
simply looks delicious....love it!!
lata raja
White or not, you have one fabulous looking ishtu here Raks. I always tell friends that I can never get the colour that my friend Princy makes...so I think, it is okay to not have exactly the same. this one is evry nice too!
Suman Singh
delicious and healthy looking stew..
vidhas
Stew looks yum!! my mom adds green chili and garlic. great clicks.
Suja
Beautiful,looks perfect and tempting.
Cilantro
Looks flavorful Raks, The green chilli variety adds the color to it try the spicier Thai chilli or the osi milagai one(if you have`nt done so) for more white color. We add just the Potatoand may the carrot does add some color too.
Hamaree Rasoi
Stew looks so delicious and comforting. Loved the presentation.
Deepa
Nitha
Perfect one.. You know what.. I love to have this with any dish.. appam/puttu/chapathi or even rice 🙂
Aruna
Hey looks good... I used to make similar stew for appam... I add peppercorns and finish off with lime juice for that citrus kick...
Sayantani
we loved this on our last trip to Kerala. refreshing stew.
Anonymous
Ooo.. Its one of my fav Kerala dishes 😀 Yumm.. Yours looks yummy.. I mostly make it with potatoes alone though! 🙂
[email protected]
Recreating dishes we ate in restaurant is fun. It makes me happy when it is pretty close to what I tasted. This stew looks delicious and my friend's mom prepares it the same way.
Shanavi
Sooper Raks..Looks so rich n delicious and looks so vibrant..
divya
Healthy and tasty stew..Looks great!
ANU
wow...very colorful dear....perfect plating
Anonymous
we once had idiyappam with chicken stew in chennai and were simply bowled over by its mere simplicity, loved ur presentation...looks very yummy
Rekha shoban
delicious curry for appams....healthy one!!nice click raji!
Divya Kudua
I make it with potatoes too once in a while.Try this with Idiyappam--tastes awesome!!
Torviewtoronto
this looks delicious lovely colourful stew
love the colour of the gravy
hemalata
Yummy stew,looks so healthy and colorful.
Hari Chandana
Wowwww... Delicious looking stew.. colorful and tempting recipe... truly delicious 🙂
Prathibha
Appam n stew is another fav combo of mine..ur stew looks delicious...
Sharmilee! :)
test
jeyashrisuresh
Since I am not a big fan of coconut milk I have never tried anything adding that. This sounds so interesting and very colorful too
Bharathy
The coconutty kerala way of side dish which rocks with appams 🙂
Looks pretty and colorful, raks 🙂
* I have a habit of waiting for the first comment after done with a new post 🙂
Hugs for doing it, Raks 🙂
off for my afternoon nap 🙂
GEETHA ACHAL
Me too always love appam and thenkkai pal...Sure want to try kurma too...Lovely pics...Thanks for sharing...
Premalatha Aravindhan
Delicious stew,the colour is so gud...
aipi
The color you got is so nice ~ very authentic n delcious recipe!
US Masala
Uma
I only heard abt it. Now only looking them. Must give a try.
Cheers,
Uma
http://umaskitchenexperiments.blogspot.com
VS
Wonderful stew. I love them with appam and also idiyappam.
Priti
So this was you were talking about ....looks yum ..that white colour is really gud
Mahi
Oru thengala irunthu paal edukkanumaa? remba rich recipe..but still,Wow..the stew looks wonderful Raji! 😛 😛
All the veggies are in their original colour..nicely done!
Happy Cook / Finla
Wowo i am really surprised to hear that you have not had stew till then, back at home we always had apams with stew or kadal curry etc or aslo like you said with sweetend coconut milk but then with sugar not jaggery, this stew looks super yumm.
Laavanya
We had this exact combination for Sunday breakfast - so was thrilled to see you post it the next day! 🙂
Sanctified Spaces
Looks so delicate and yummy. Its a classic combination.Another bookmark.
DEESHA
That is a beautiful looking side dish . Lovely stew
Ramya Bala
I love ishtu :)looks very tempting raji :)))beautiful pictures
Shobha
Love the appams with stew.. it is a very light dish and also has all the veggies.
Sarah
gorgeous pics! the stew looks awesome! this is a fav combo in my house too
Rinku Naveen
Stu looks superb..Its one of the fav at home with appam and puttu. Never thought of adding cauliflower. Mainly potatoes and carrot. Yeah its difficult to get that white colour. Beautiful clicks Raji..
Harini
Hi Raks!
Just love your blog and the pics ! I was searching for a nice aapam recipe for a long time then saw this stew recipe and your aapam beside the stew in one of the pictures. Then I knew you must have an aapam recipe in your blog and finally found it! Going to try making the aapam along with this delicious looking stew.! Just a suggestion - link the aapam recipe also to this page so it would be easier to find for ppl like me 😉
Harini - http://hariniscorner.blogspot.com/
Vibaas
raji, i have heard of this, but never tried this. sounds yummy.
Sushma Mallya
I love veg stew ..looks so delicious Raji...lovely click as well 🙂
Vaanisree
Hi Raji.. i have became a very big fan of u nowadays. I have tried more than 15 - 20 items from ur website. and yesterday i did this veg stew for palappam(bought this ready mix aapam) .. and the combo was great.I did the same as u have mentioned here with the proportions and quantity. it came up delicious and tastier. U believe it or not,i prepared enough quantity and at last i was kept only a small cup of it for taste. The whole bowl of stew was emptied by my kid and hubby . and gave some to my mom for taste. Thanks for sharing all lovely tasty yummy recipes. keep going....
Vaazhga valamudan
Vaanisree
This comment has been removed by the author.
RAKS KITCHEN
Thank you vaani for the feedback and the nice words 🙂
Harini, thanks 🙂 will post more authentic aapam recipe,mine is the way i make 🙂 So watch out for another aapam recipe, hope you made aapam and stew and liked ...
Neets
Hi raks,
I will be cooking this stew tonight and posting it on my blog hopefully by tomorrow. i've started a new blog called neetustastytreats.blogspot.com. Do chk it out when you're free. You have alovely blog btw! The detailed step by step pics make it so much more easier! Cheers and keep up the good work!
saumya
Dear raks
I have tried some of ur recipies nd it came out really well. I use to make an easy version of stew. I take a cooker nd add my onion, ginger, green chillie 2 just for smell not for spicy, veg (potatoes, carrot, beans nd forzen peas) and salt nd leaa than half cup of water. Pressure cook this for 1 whistle. After pressure settles add thick coconut milk, pepper powder nd check the consistancy. Switch off the flame nd add curry leaves nd drops of coconut oil. Close the lid till u serve.