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Navratan korma
Nine-jewel vegetable korma
नवरतन कोरमा: nine 'jewels' of vegetables, paneer, fruit and nuts in a mild, pale cashew and onion gravy
Legend ties the name to the nine gems (navratna) of Akbar's court, and the dish lives up to it: nine kinds of vegetables, paneer, fruit and nuts in an ivory gravy that is mild, rich and a little sweet. It is a fixture of North Indian wedding buffets and restaurant menus, often the one curry children and spice-shy guests head straight for. The gravy is a Mughlai white base, made from onions boiled (not browned) and ground with cashews, cooked gently in ghee with whole spices, yogurt and cream. Each vegetable is cooked separately so it stays bright and holds its shape, and pineapple and raisins go in at the end for little bursts of sweetness. Serve it with jeera rice, naan or laccha paratha and a sharp onion salad on the side. Common mistake: browning the onions; they colour the gravy beige and make it taste like any other curry. Keep the heat gentle once the yogurt is in, so it does not split. Chef's tip: a pinch of white pepper and a drop of kewra water at the end give the restaurant flavour without adding chilli heat.
- Total time
- 65 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the vegetables
- 1 potatopeeled, 1.5 cm cubes
- 1 carrot1 cm cubes
- 2 ⅞ oz green beans2 cm pieces
- 5 ½ oz cauliflowersmall florets
- 2 ⅞ oz green peasfresh or frozen
- 5 ½ oz paneer1.5 cm cubes
- 1 tbsp ghee
- 2 ⅞ oz pineapplefresh or tinned, small chunks
- ⅔ oz cashews
- 1 tbsp raisins
For the gravy
- 2 onionsroughly chopped
- 1 ¾ oz cashewssoaked in hot water for 15 minutes
- 2 tbsp ghee
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 green cardamom podslightly crushed
- 3 cloves
- ¾ in cinnamon stick
- ¾ in gingergrated
- 1 green chillislit
- 3 ½ oz plain yogurtwhisked smooth
- ¼ tsp ground white pepper
- ½ tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 ¼ tsp salt
- ¾ cup water
- ¼ cup single cream
- 2 drops kewra water (optional)
To garnish
- ⅛ oz fresh coriander (optional)chopped
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Method
0/10 doneStep 2: Meanwhile, boil 1 potato and 1 carrot in salted water for 5 minutes, add 2 ⅞ oz green beans, 5 ½ oz cauliflower and 2 ⅞ oz green peas and boil for 3 more minutes, until just tender but still firm. Drain.
8 minStep 4: Heat 2 tbsp ghee in a heavy pan over a medium-low heat. Add 1 bay leaf, 4 green cardamom pods, 3 cloves and ¾ in cinnamon stick and let them sizzle for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
1 minStep 5: Add ¾ in ginger and 1 green chilli and stir for 30 seconds, then add the onion-cashew paste. Cook on a low heat, stirring constantly, for 6–8 minutes until it thickens and a thin film of ghee shows at the edges. It should stay ivory, not brown.
8 minStep 6: Take the pan off the heat and stir in 3 ½ oz plain yogurt a spoonful at a time, then put it back on a low heat and cook for 3 minutes, stirring, until smooth again.
3 minStep 7: Add ¼ tsp ground white pepper, 1 tsp sugar, 1 ¼ tsp salt and ¾ cup water and simmer gently for 3 minutes, until it is the consistency of pouring custard.
3 minStep 8: Add the boiled vegetables and paneer and simmer on a low heat for 4–5 minutes so they take on the gravy. Stir gently so the paneer and potato stay whole.
5 minStep 9: Stir in ¼ cup single cream, ½ tsp garam masala and 2 ⅞ oz pineapple and warm through for 1 minute without boiling. Add 2 drops kewra water, if using, and check the salt.
1 minStep 10: Serve topped with the fried cashews and raisins and ⅛ oz fresh coriander.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 420 kcal
- Protein
- 13 g
- Carbs
- 30 g
- Fat
- 29 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does navratan korma take?
- About 65 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of potato?
- Sweet potato, same weight (sweeter, cooks a little faster).
- What can I use instead of carrot?
- Parsnip or sweet potato, same weight.
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