A simple vegetarian stew is a vegetable or mixed vegetable gravy which is slow cooked with the addition of coconut milk. Stew get its complex flavours from a combination of aromatic spices like coriander, cumin, turmeric powder, cardamom, bay leaves, peppercorns and cinnamon. The spices marry in a rich, flavourful sauce that has a comforting, belly-warming appeal.

As for the vegetables, potatoes, carrots, green beans and peas are mostly used. Some other vegetables that you can possibly use in these recipes are corn, cauliflower, broccoli, beetroots etc. You can add lentils to the stews as well which makes them more nutritious.

Expand your culinary repertoire to include a vegetarian stew and light Indian breads and chutney for healthy weeknight dinner. Here are some meal plans for you to choose from.

1- Cauliflower Coconut Milk Stew, Idiyappam & Spicy Mullangi Thogayal

2- Kodava Kootu Curry, Set Dosa & Kodava Ellu Pajj

3-Tirunelveli Sodhi Kuzhambu, Appam & Lahsun ki Chutney

4-Baby Corn Stew, Neer Dosa & Sweet and Spicy Tomato Chutney

5-Maharashtrian Style Sheng Sola, Aval Dosa & Murungai Keerai Thogayal

6- Andhra Style Mukkala Pulusu,Cucumber Neer Dosa & Pandu Mirapakaya Pachadi

7- Kumbakonam Kadappa, Appam & Lehsun Amla Chutney

8-Vendakka Stew, Karwar Style Kalingana Polo & Ratalu Ki Chutney

9-Poricha Kuzhambu,Konkani Style Doddak, Mamidikaya Pesara Pappu Pachadi

10-Parsi Style Lagan Sara Istew, Karwar Style Kalingana Polo, Pudina Mavinakayi Chutney

11-Kerala Style Vegetable Stew, Appam, Bottle Gourd Peel Chutney

12-Aloo Tamatari, Oats And Coconut Dosa, Inji Thogayal

13-Feijoada Recipe, Bella Metthe Dosa, Kollu Thogayal

14-Beetroot Stew with Coconut Milk,Spiced Dosa, Tomato Garlic Chutney

15-Kollu Rasam Recipe, Beetroot Loni Sponge Dosa, Cabbage Tomato Pachadi

16-Kappa Ishtoo, Spicy Neer Dosa, Gorai Kai Kara

17-Olan Recipe with Pumpkin and Black Eyed Beans, Red Rice Dosa, Thengai Thogayal