Vegetable Korma

Korma is a rich cashew yoghurt based gravy. The terminology Korma is mostly used for cashew yoghurt gravy and Kurma/ Kuruma is used for South Indian coconut based gravy. But sometimes the terminology is used interchangeably. 

This is my favorite Vegetable Korma preparation. It has almost a flawless taste. It has a smooth silky sauce and I love it. Potato cauliflower korma and Chicken Korma done the same way is also very delicious. 

Ingredients

2 cups cut vegetables of your choice (carrot, beans, peas, potato, cauliflower)

6-8 paneer cubes (Optional)

1 small sized onion

1 medium sized tomato

1 ts freshly grated ginger garlic

1 green chilli

6-8 cashews

1/3 cup thick curd

2 cloves, 1 cardamon, 1 small cinnamon stick

1/4 cup full cream milk (optional)

1/4 ts turmeric powder, 1/2 ts chilli powder, 2 ts coriander cumin powder

Handful of finely chopped coriander leaves

Few cashews and raisins roasted in ghee (for garnish) (optional)

Preparation

- Microwave or boil the veggies until half done. Since potatoes require extra time for cooking comparing other veggies, boil them seperately. Keep all veggies ready in a container.

- If using paneer cubes, soak them in warm water for a while.

- Heat little oil in a kadai. Fry cashews and raisins until golden. Keep them aside.

- Heat more oil in the same kadai. Add the whole spices - cloves, cardamon and cinnamon stick and allow them to sizzle a bit. Then add thinly sliced onions with a pinch of salt and fry them until golden brown. Add ginger garlic paste and green chilli. Saute for a minute. Next add the whole cashews and fry until golden. 

- Take the fried onion cashew mixture out in a plate. Allow them to cool a bit. Then grind them to a very smooth paste in a mixer.

- Transfer the ground paste to the same kadai. Add the cubed tomatoes. Next add all the spice powders - turmeric powder, chilli powder and coriander cumin powder with necessary salt. Cook until the tomatoes wilt away a little.

- Now combine in the boiled vegetables and mix well.

- Lower flame to simmer and add the well beaten yoghurt. Give a good mix.

- Add milk or water to dilute the gravy if necessary. (It is best to make this a semi thin gravy as the gravy will thicken after it cools down). Bring the gravy to a good boil.

- Add the paneer cubes at this stage.

- Now cook the korma in simmer for 5 minutes.

- Finally garnish with chopped coriander leaves and roasted cashews and raisins.