Ingredients:

• Okra (ladies fingers) – 250 gm
• Eggplant (brinjal) – 250 gm
• green Capsicum – 1
• red Capsicum – 1
• Zucchini – 1, medium size
• yellow Pumpkin – 250 gm
• Carrot – 250 gm
• French beans – 150 gm
• Leeks – 2
• Celery – 3 stalks
• Tomato – 350 gm
• silken Tofu – 250 gm
• Olive oil – 2 tbsp
• Garlic – 4 flakes, crushed
• chili powder – 1 tsp
• cumin powder – 1 tsp
• cooked brown Rice to serve
• salt to taste

Method:

1. Soak okra in a bowl of water to which 4 tbsp of vinegar is added.
2. After 15 minutes, drain, wash with fresh water and wipe dry.
3. This will prevent them from becoming slimy while cooking.
4. Trim the top and tail and cut into 5 cm lengths.
5. Cut eggplant into halves along their length.
6. If they are big, cut each half into two parts.
7. Then slice them about 1 cm thick.
8. Cut both the capsicums into halves, discard the seeds and cut into 2 cm pieces.
9. Slice the zucchini 1 cm thick
10. Peel and cut pumpkin into 1.5 cm cubes.
11. Slice the carrots. Chop the beans.
12. Slice leeks and chop celery and tomato.
13. Cut tofu into 2 cm cubes.
14. Heat oil in a deep non-stick pan. Add leeks and garlic, fry till fragrant.
15. Add chili powder, cumin powder and fry for few seconds.
16. Add carrot and beans.
17. Add 2- 3 cups of water or vegetable stock.
18. When the vegetables are half cooked add rest of the vegetables and tomato. Add salt to taste and simmer the stew gently till all the vegetables are cooked, tomato is pulpy and a sauce is formed.
19. Eggplant, zucchini and pumpkin may partly disintegrate.
20. This will add flavor and thickness to sauce.
21. Add tofu and simmer for 2 more minutes.
22. Place 2 Tbsp of cooked brown rice in serving bowls and top with the stew.
23. Serve hot.