Vegetarian Entrees

Navratan Korma

by Spoorthy
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Navratan Korma

  • Author: Spoorthy
  • Total Time: 1 Hour
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x
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Description

Navratan means nine-gems. The curry is made of nine different vegetables, fruits, and nuts combined. This dish was invented during the Mughal Empire rule in India. It was considered as a royal dish and was mainly served in royal kitchens to the kings and queens.

Over time, the recipe has evolved according to the taste and availability of ingredients. It is not necessary to use exactly the same veggies and fruits as in this recipe. However, I would highly recommend using a wide variety of veggies that need a longer time to cook to add at the beginning like cauliflower, carrots, beans, etc. vs the veggies that require very less time to cook to add at the end like mushrooms, peppers. Adding paneer, pineapple, and nuts to this dish is to make it more flavorful and richer.

Ingredients

Scale

Curry Ingredients:

Onion- 1

Tomatoes- 3

Cashews- 1/4 cup

Ginger/Garlic Paste- 1 Tbsp

Canola Oil- 1 Tbsp

Water- 1 cup+1/2 cup

Ghee/Butter- 1 Tbsp

Turmeric- 1/4 tsp (If making Ghee)

Kasoori Methi- 2 Tbsp

Chili Powder– 3/4 tsp

Coriander Powder- 1 Tbsp

Salt- 1/2 tsp

Cumin Powder- 1 tsp

Honey- 1 tsp

Tomato Paste- 1 Tbsp

Heavy Creme- 1/2 cup

Assorted Veggies and prepping

3 cups of combined Cauliflower, Broccoli, Peas, Chayote squash, Green Beans, and Corn.

Water- 2 cups

Salt- 3/4 tsp

2 cups mixed cheese, fruit, and veggie, Paneer (Indian Cheese), Pineapple, Red Bell Pepper, Mushrooms and onion.

Canola Oil- 1 Tbsp

Salt- 1/4 tsp

Chili Powder- 1/4 tsp

Instructions

1. Heat a pan on medium heat and add 1 Tbsp oil when hot. Add 1 Tbsp ginger/garlic paste and saute for a few seconds.

2. Add 1 onion (diced) and 3 tomatoes (diced) to the pan, and saute for five minutes until the tomatoes and onions turn pale.

3. Add 1/4 cup roasted cashews to it and give a good mix.

4. Add 1 cup water to it and cook it again until the water added reduces to half the original amount.

5. Again add 1/2 cup of water and blend it to make a smooth puree. Set it aside until ready to use it for the curry.

6. Take 3 cups of assorted vegetables combined (cauliflower, broccoli, peas, green beans, chayote squash, carrots, and corn.

7. Add 2 cups of water and 3/4 tsp of salt to the veggies and microwave on high setting or bring it to a rolling boil for 4 minutes.

8. Drain the water and save it to use it for the curry.

9. Prepping another set of veggies, fruit, and cheese that does not require much cooking. Paneer (Indian cheese), pineapple, red bell pepper, mushrooms, and onion are used in this recipe.

10. Saute all the above ingredients with 1 Tbsp oil, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp chili powder. This process should take less than 3 minutes.

11. Take 1 Tbsp of Ghee or butter in a pan. Butter can be turned into quick ghee.  Heat the butter on medium heat and add 1/4 tsp turmeric when it melts. Let it bubble for about 3 to 4 minutes and the bubbles settle down and ready to use.

12. Reduce the setting to low temperature add the prepared tomato puree to the hot ghee. Adding puree to the hot ghee can splash. So be careful with this step.

13. Add 2 Tbsp of coarsely powdered Kasoori methi and mix it well. From this point on curry should be cooked in low to medium setting as we are about to add many ingredients. A high setting can burn the ingredients.

14. Now add the saved drained water from cooking vegetables. Roughly around 1 1/2 cups. Adjust water at this stage.

15. Close the lid and cook for about 10 minutes.

16. After 10 minutes, add all the spice powders listed under ingredients (3/4 tsp chili powder, 1 Tbsp coriander powder, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp cumin powder).

17. Add cooked vegetables and stir it well.

18. Open cook the curry for 8 to 10 minutes for the veggies to incorporate all the spices and the curry.

19. Add 1 tsp of honey and 1 Tbsp of tomato paste and stir well.

20. Add 2 cups of prepared sauteed veggies(red bell pepper, mushrooms, onion), paneer, and pineapple. Mix everything well.

21. Add 1/2 cup heavy creme and cook for the final 5 minutes to let all the spices blend in with other ingredients.

22. Serve hot with Naan, rice, or roti.

 

Notes

1. The process of making Navratan Korma seems to be a lot and time-consuming. Once we have the ingredients ready, it is easy to put everything together. Varieties of vegetables used here can be reduced to what is available.

2. This can be made into vegan by skipping the heavy creme and replacing it with other types of milk like soy milk, almond milk, coconut milk, et.

3. Vegetables (cauliflower, broccoli, green beans, peas, carrots, chayote squash, and corn) must not be overcooked as it should be crunchy in the curry. Saute vegetables (mushrooms, red bell pepper, onion, paneer and pineapple) also should be sauteed for very minimal time to get the best flavor.

  • Prep Time: 15 mintes
  • Cook Time: 45
  • Category: Vegetarian Entrees
  • Method: Cook
  • Cuisine: Indian/ Mughlai

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cup
  • Calories: 245
  • Sugar: 7.11 g
  • Sodium: 728 mg
  • Fat: 15.8 g
  • Saturated Fat: 6.16 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 2.12 g
  • Trans Fat: 0.01 g
  • Carbohydrates: 15.14 g
  • Fiber: 4.4 g
  • Protein: 7.61 g
  • Cholesterol: 26 mg

Keywords: Navratan Korma, Indian Curry, Mughlai Dish, Indian Vegetarian, Indian vegetarian Restuarant Dish, Rich and Creamy Curry

Heat a pan on medium heat and add 1 Tbsp oil when hot. Add 1 Tbsp ginger/garlic paste and saute for a few seconds.
Add 1 onion (diced) and 3 tomatoes (diced) to the pan, and saute for five minutes until the tomatoes and onions turn pale.
 Add 1/4 cup roasted cashews to it and give a good mix.
Add 1 cup water to it and cook it again until the water added reduces to half the original amount.
Again add 1/2 cup of water and blend it to make a smooth puree. Set it aside until ready to use it for the curry.
Take 3 cups of assorted vegetables combined (cauliflower, broccoli, peas, green beans, chayote squash, carrots, and corn.
Add 2 cups of water and 3/4 tsp of salt to the veggies and microwave on high setting or bring it to a rolling boil for 4 minutes.
Add 2 cups of water and 3/4 tsp of salt to the veggies and microwave on high setting or bring it to a rolling boil for 4 minutes.
Drain the water and save it to use it for the curry.
Prepping another set of veggies, fruit, and cheese that does not require much cooking. Paneer (Indian cheese), pineapple, red bell pepper, mushrooms, and onion are used in this recipe.
Saute all the above ingredients with 1 Tbsp oil, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp chili powder. This process should take less than 3 minutes.
Take 1 Tbsp of Ghee or butter in a pan. Butter can be turned into quick ghee.  Heat the butter on medium heat and add 1/4 tsp turmeric when it melts. Let it bubble for about 3 to 4 minutes and the bubbles settle down and ready to use.
Reduce the setting to low temperature add the prepared tomato puree to the hot ghee. Adding puree to the hot ghee can splash. So be careful with this step.
Add 2 Tbsp of coarsely powdered Kasoori methi and mix it well. From this point on curry should be cooked in low to medium setting as we are about to add many ingredients. A high setting can burn the ingredients.
Now add the saved drained water from cooking vegetables. Roughly around 1 1/2 cups. Adjust water at this stage.
Close the lid and cook for about 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, add all the spice powders listed under ingredients (3/4 tsp chili powder, 1 Tbsp coriander powder, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp cumin powder).
Add cooked vegetables and stir it well.
Open cook the curry for 8 to 10 minutes for the veggies to incorporate all the spices and the curry.
Add 1 tsp of honey and 1 Tbsp of tomato paste and stir well.
Add 1 tsp of honey and 1 Tbsp of tomato paste and stir well.
Add 2 cups of prepared sauteed veggies(red bell pepper, mushrooms, onion), paneer, and pineapple. Mix everything well.
Add 1/2 cup heavy creme and cook for the final 5 minutes to let all the spices blend in with other ingredients.
Serve hot with Naan, rice, or roti.