1. If you do not have melon seeds, still you can make the korma with the rest of the ingredients. Just increase 1 tbsp of almonds and 1 tbsp of cashew.

2. Always soak the poppy seeds before blending or else they take a lot of time to be ground finely.

3. Adding pineapple is optional. So don’t add pineapple if you do not like a sweet taste in a creamy dish.

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Navratan Korma Recipe with step by step photos. Navratan Korma is a rich aromatic vegetable curry made with nine ingredients.

navratan korma

medium carrots (about 70g)

shelled peas or frozen peas

large potato (about 150g)

chopped green beans (40 to 50g)

cauliflower

to 9 baby corn

Veggies

medium sized onions

to 3 green chilies (hari mirch)

to 6 garlic gloves and ¾ inch ginger

curd/yogurt (about 100g)

fresh low fat cream or 3 to 4 tablespoon whipping cream

to ½ teaspoon Garam Masala Powder

turmeric powder

red chili powder

Ghee

water or add as required

salt as required

Other Ingredients

poppy seeds (khus khus)

to 12 almonds

to 12 cashews

melon seeds (magaz)

water for grinding to a paste or add as required

Royal Paste

to 3 green cardamom

black cardamom

cloves

inch stick of cinnamon

tej patta (indian bay leaf)

single strands of mace

Whole Garam Masala

to 7 almonds

pistachios

cashews

walnut halves

raisins

chopped pineapple or 2 to 3 pineapple slices

melon seeds

mint leaves

a pinch of saffron strands

ginger julienne

Garnish

Soak all the dry fruits and seeds in hot water for 30 to 40 minutes.

Remove the peels from the almonds and add the peeled almonds in a grinder jar.

Then drain the remaining nuts-seeds mixture and also add them to the grinder jar.

Add 1/4 cup water and grind to a smooth fine paste. Add more water if required while making the paste. Keep this paste aside.

Prepare Paste

Heat ghee in a handi or a deep pan. Add all the whole garam masala mentioned above and fry till they crackle and become aromatic.

Add the sliced onions and saute them till they turn golden

Now add the ginger-garlic paste and chopped green chilies. Saute till the raw aroma of ginger-garlic goes away.

Now add the nuts-seeds paste and curd. Stir well.

Then add turmeric and red chili powder. Stir again.

Stir and saute for 3 to 4 minutes on a low flame. Do stir often so that the mixture does not get stuck to the bottom of the pan.

Next add 1 cup water. Season with salt. Mix very well.

Cover and simmer the veggies till they are cooked.

Once the veggies are cooked, add the cream and stir it with the rest of the korma, switch off the flame.

Sprinkle garam masala powder. Cover and keep aside.

Making Navaaratan Korma

Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a small frying pan. Add 6 to 7 blanched almonds (you can soak these almonds when soaking the nuts for the paste).

Saute almonds till they turn a pale golden.

Take them to one side of the pan and now add 10 pistachios, 10 cashews, 10 walnut halves. Saute till the cashews turn a light golden.

Now add 1 tbsp raisins & ½ tbsp melon seeds. Saute for some seconds.

Then add ½ cup chopped pineapple cubes. Saute for a minute.

Next add 1 tbsp mint leaves, a pinch of saffron strands and 2 tsp ginger julienne.

While serving garnish the korma with the sauteed garnishing ingredients. Serve it with Indian flatbread like tandoori roti, naan, chapatis or parathas. It also goes well with cumin rice.