“Navratan” – nav meaning ‘nine’ and ratan for ‘gems’… As the name suggests, the dish is exotic in every aspect and is also referred to as the Nine Gems Curry or Nine Jeweled Curry. The nine main ingredients in this recipe are a combination of vegetables & fruits. “Korma” which has its royal origins from the Mughlai cuisine of the Indian subcontinent, signifies dishes cooked in a mix of spices, dry fruits, nuts and cream. Together, Navratan Korma is a culmination of exotic and royal flavors, a delicacy with a perfect balance of spices!

One of the highlights of this recipe is the flexibility it provides in terms of the ingredients used. Although requiring nine main ingredients, you do not have to stick to a fixed set and instead can cook with what is available in your pantry. Paneer being a good protein source can also be added to this dish, although it is a personal choice and not a mandate, you can make this dish without paneer as well. This recipe is also an excellent source to include a variety of vegetables in your diet. The creamy consistency and its mild n sweet taste makes even kids to enjoy it without much hesitation.

There are many variations of this korma; using different spices, adding fresh fruits, replacing cream with yogurt, and so on. However, this method of preparation is my personal favorite. I love the addition of raisins and honey along with fresh fruits, which give the dish a natural sweetness. For all the vegans out there, you can easily convert this recipe into a vegan version by simply substituting milk cream with coconut milk, butter/ghee with coconut oil, honey with maple syrup / brown sugar, and paneer with tofu.

Navratan korma is a usually served during the festive season but can be enjoyed anytime, it is also a restaurant delicacy. It is a comfort food and its creamy texture makes it a perfect side dish to go with roti, naan or rice.

If you love Korma dishes, check out another recipe from my blog archives; a South Indian style Vegetable Kurma.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

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Navratan Korma

An Exotic Dish from the Hearts of Mughlai cuisine, Navratan Korma! Made with Nine different Vegetables, Fruits and Nuts in a Mild & Semi-Sweet Creamy Gravy!!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword korma, kurma, navratan korma

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Cooling Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings 5

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For the curry paste

• 4-5 cashews
• 1- inch sized ginger
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 large onion (roughly cubed)
• 2 big tomatoes (roughly cubed)

Veggies

• ¾ cup cauliflower florets
• ½ cup frozen green peas
• ½ of a red bell pepper (cubed)
• ½ of a green bell pepper (cubed)
• 1 carrot (cubed)
• 1 potato (cubed)
• ½ cup beans (sliced an inch length)
• ½ cup paneer (cubed)

For the korma

• 1 tbsp butter/ghee
• ½ tsp cumin
• 1 bay leaf
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp chili powder
• ½ tsp coriander powder
• ¼ tsp garam masala
• ¼ cup cashews
• ¼ cup raisins
• 1 tbsp kasuri methi / dried fenugreek leaves (crushed)
• 1-2 tbsp honey
• ¼ cup milk cream (optional)
• 2 cups water (plus more)
• Cilantro leaves (chopped, to garnish)
• ¼ cup pomegranate seeds (to garnish - optional)
• Oil (as required)
• Salt (as required)

Instructions

• Slice ‘em up: Clean and cut veggies as per the above ingredient list. For more veggie options see notes section below.
• Cook hard vegetables: Boil cauliflower, potatoes, beans and carrots by adding turmeric powder, salt and water (just enough to cover the veggies) until they are cooked well. Strain, reserve the stock, and also keep aside the cooked veggies separately.
• Fry ‘em up: In a small pan, toast paneer cubes on both sides until they are golden. Transfer to a bowl and in the same pan, fry cashews and raisins until they are golden. Keep aside.
• Make the curry paste: In a pan, heat little oil on medium heat and add cashews, ginger, garlic, onions. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, followed by adding tomatoes. Sauté until they are slightly cooked and mushy. Switch off the flame and allow it to cool. Once it is cooled, grind them into a thick paste.
• The Curry: Heat butter/ghee in a large pan, add cumin seeds and bay leaf. Sauté until they are fragrant. Add the grinded curry paste, sauté and cook until the color of the curry slightly changes and becomes thick.
• Add spice powders: Chili, turmeric, coriander powder and garam masala. Sauté for 4-5 minutes on a low flame until the oil starts to separate.
• Add bell peppers and green peas; mix well with the masala.
• Add 1 cup of the reserved stock, season with salt and bring the curry to a boil. Once it starts boiling, add the cooked veggies and 1 tbsp honey; check and add more if needed. Add crushed kasuri methi, stir and mix the curry well.
• Add toasted paneer, fried cashews, raisins and milk cream. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Check for the seasoning.
• Garnish: Switch off the flame and garnish with cilantro leaves. Garnish with pomegranate seeds once the curry is slightly cooled and ready to serve.
• Serve: Goes well with Rice, Roti, Naan or any bread. Enjoy!

Notes

1. Veggies: Red Green Yellow bell pepper, cauliflower, beans, carrots, green peas, potato, broccoli, snow peas, squash, corn

2. Fruits: Pomegranate seeds, grapes, pineapple

3. To make it Vegan: Substitute milk cream with coconut milk, paneer with tofu, ghee / butter with coconut oil, and honey with maple syrup / brown sugar.

4. The strained water / stock in which the veggies were cooked in step 2 can be reserved for step 8 while preparing the curry.

5. If you are adding pineapple or grapes, you can add them at step 9.

The post Navratan Korma appeared first on Pepper Delight.

So, I guess you might be wondering what’s so special about this Kurma? Well, all I can say is… just taste it and you will understand, it’s soooo yummy, the Best! It’s creamy, rich and flavorful… I bet you cannot ask for anything more from a Kurma!!!

Kurma is a popular South Indian side dish served along with Poori (fried flat bread), Chapati, and other mains during any meal of the day, although quite favored for breakfast and dinner. It’s a yellow colored, non-spicy dish, light on masala, yet creamy and totally delightful. You might have noticed that I highlighted this recipe as a South Indian classic, coz it is quite different in preparation from its North Indian variant – Korma. The North Indian Korma on the other side is more of an orange-red colored dish, high on masala flavors, rich, and elegant.

This recipe is inspired from the preparation by a chef at my hometown, whom we used to invite to cook and lend a helping hand to our family while organizing parties and large family gatherings. I distinctly remember how good our whole house used to smell, we peeping into the kitchen to get a glimpse of the dishes being prepared, and if possible a spoonful to taste. The green paste in this recipe is the star of the dish; it brings together the flavors and the unique aroma. The use of grated coconut along with cashews contribute to the kurma’s rich creaminess and fennel, ginger n garlic towards the beautiful aroma. While you try this recipe at home, do stop and take a second to smell the green paste before pouring it to the cooking pan; Awaken your Sensory Glands to the wonders of the Spices! This dish also has got a light tanginess from the Yogurt and can be substituted with tomatoes if you prefer so.

Vegetable Kurma is a simple and delicious curry which goes well with roti, naan, chapati, appam, idiyappam and many other main dishes, but for me it goes best with Poori. The creaminess of the Kurma vs the crispy-crunchy fried Poori… its Pure Bliss!!!

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

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Vegetable Kurma

Aromatic and Creamy South Indian Style Mixed Vegetable Kurma…!! This mildly spiced curry is the Best Side Dish you can ask for with Poori / Appam / Naan.  

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword kurma, vegetable curry

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 5

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For the green paste

• ⅓ cup grated coconut
• 6-8 cashews
• ½ inch sized ginger
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1-2 green chilies
• 3 pearl onions
• ½ tsp perumjeerakam / saunf / fennel seeds
• ¼ tsp coriander powder
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 3-4 curry leaves
• 1 tbsp cilantro leaves
• ¼ cup water (or more)

For the Kurma

• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 cloves
• 2 cardamoms
• 1 medium sized onion (sliced)
• 2 medium carrots (cubed)
• ¾ cup green beans (chopped)
• 1 potato (cubed)
• ¾ cup cauliflower florets
• ½ cup frozen green peas
• 2 cups water
• 1-2 tbsp beaten curd
• Cilantro leaves (garnish)
• Oil (as required)
• Salt (as required)

Instructions

• Make a fine paste of the ingredients listed above and keep aside.
• Heat little oil in a heavy bottomed pan and sauté spices in it until they are fragrant.
• Add onions and a pinch of salt, sauté for another 3-4 minutes on medium flame.
• Add the chopped veggies, water (just enough to cover the veggies), salt and cook until the vegetables are fully cooked. Mash the cooked veggies with the back of wooden spoon.
• Add the grinded paste (add a little water if the curry is too thick) and cook on low flame for 5 minutes. The kurma consistency should be thick.
• Add beaten curd and mix well, check for the seasoning and cook for 1-2 minutes more. Switch off the flame and garnish with chopped cilantro leaves.
• Enjoy with Poori, Appam, Idiyappam, Roti or Naan.

Notes

1. You can substitute curd with tomato, but curd tastes best for this kurma.

The post Vegetable Kurma appeared first on Pepper Delight.