One Take on Subzi: 15 Minute Cauliflower Asparagus Curry

A delightfully easy vegetarian Indian curry dish (or Subzi) that is super quick and easy to throw together. Yet it’s complex, rich and wonderful in flavor. For those of us in the US, you can use readily available seasonings to make this dish. All you need is salsa, onions, garlic, spices and fresh ginger root. The only “exotic” ingredient here is garam masala. Oh, and a bit of coconut milk. Either from a can or carton.

Here it is the start of July and I’m still talking asparagus! For many of you, asparagus season is long gone. The season is dwindling here too. But yes, I have one last hurrah for asparagus. As I say goodbye to my last bag of asparagus, I want to invite you to try a new twist on asparagus. One that perhaps you haven’t thought of before. Honestly, I never thought of it either. Until now, but I’m SO glad I did! I almost forgot how much I love all things curry.

So Many Curries! So Little Time

In a way, I hate to use the word “curry” to describe this dish. Because curry is such a vague term that can refer to literally thousands of dishes. In America, we are generally unaware of the subtleties of all of the various forms of “curry”. I might be more knowledgeable than your average American. But I’m far from an expert on curry. I feel like I could spend decades studying all the endless varieties of curry, and that’s probably true.

And yet here, I’ve stumbled upon a stellar way to toss together a delicious Indian style curry dish in just a few minutes. It’s not a super saucy curry like the Thai curry dishes tend towards. This curry recipe has just enough luscious sauce to cling to the vegetables. While I love the soupy Thai curries as well, this minimally sauced version is just delightful.

What is Subzi?

Subzi (or sabzi) literally means “vegetable”, so subzi is essentially an Indian dish using literally any vegetable. So that means this recipe is endlessly customizable! If you don’t have asparagus, feel free to substitute another veggie. Green beans, broccoli, bell peppers or peas, perhaps? In place of the cauliflower, you could use potato, sweet potato, eggplant or perhaps even butternut squash. Almost any vegetable you can imagine is welcome in this Indian style curry or Subzi.

Can I add protein?

With simply vegetables, the protein in this recipe is over 6g. That’s pretty impressive for a bunch of veggies! But if you want even more protein, feel free to toss in chickpeas, tofu, or (if you’re a meat eater) chicken, shrimp, fish, or pork. I feel like a white meat will work better than red meat, but I can also picture asparagus and cauliflower with venison or beef.

However, if you add anything to this dish, you’re going to want to also add to the sauce. I would suggest doubling the sauce and then go ahead and make your additions.

What to serve with Subzi?

If you’re wondering what types of things go best with subzi, try serving with a flatbread like Naan or Pitas. Even tortillas will do in a pinch!

Many also like to enjoy basmati rice as a bed for this vegetable curry dish. Simple green salads or fresh cucumber slices are always welcome too. Indians also serve their meals with daal, a wonderful creamy lentil dish that goes perfectly with just about everything.

For a beverage, sip on a cool refreshing iced chai latte, a frozen cantaloupe lassi (a smoothie with yogurt) or how about a watermelon rosewater slushie?

For dessert, scoop up some cool creamy mango sorbet or basil green tea gelato.

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