Mushtaq Elahi's Vegetable Curry

I learned this and other recipes from Mushtaq Elahi's cooking class. Mushtaq is from Bangladesh; owns Sakuntala restaurant in Bloomsburg with his wife, Millie; used to be journalist in New York; is a supporter and former board member of Bloomsburg Theater Ensemble; a supporter of local artists, whose work he shows in his restaurant; founder of the Bangladeshi New Year celebration in Town Park, Bloomsburg; a supporter of the local foods movement; and generally an interesting and excellent all-around guy.  I'm posting this and his other recipes with his permission.

This comes out especially good with cauliflower.

Ingredients:
  About 2 pounds of vegetables, such as cauliflower, potato, carrot, cabbage, zucchini, cut into medium pieces and washed.
  2 TB vegetable oil
  1 medium onion, chopped
  3/4 tsp ground turmeric
  1 tsp ground cumin
  1-2 green chilis, sliced or chopped. In a pinch, you can use chili powder instead
  1 tsp roasted ground cumin seeds
  Salt to taste

  Heat oil on medium heat.
  Add onion and green chili, cook until onion looks icy white.
  Add spices, cook until the content becomes aromatic - about 1 minute.
  Add potatoes and carrots, cook for 5 minutes, stirring a few times. Then add other vegetables, which take less time to cook Stir well.
  Add water, 1/2 to 1 C, depending on how saucy you like it.
  Cover and cook 5-7 minutes, until vegetables are cooked.
  Turn heat off.
  Sprinkle roasted ground cumin over the vegetables.  Cover.
  Serve with rice and daal.

  Roasted ground cumin seeds
  Toast 2 tsp of cumin seeds, then use a coffee grinder to grind into a fine powders. Keep the powder in a tightly sealed container.

  Tips - stir the veggies before they're cooked to coat with spices.
          - To cut cauliflower, cut halfway down the stem and break it apart. Soak it in ice water 10 minutes before cooking - then it won't be mushy.