Update formatting
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.
Always soak the poppy seeds before blending or else they take a lot of time to be ground finely.
Adding pineapple is optional. So don’t add pineapple if you do not like a sweet taste in a creamy dish.
Ingredients
Veggies
- 2 medium carrots (about 70g) peeled and chopped
- 1/2 c shelled peas or frozen peas
- 1 large potato (about 150g)
- 1/4 c chopped green beans (40 to 50g)
- 1 c cauliflower chopped
- 8 to 9 baby corn chopped Optional
Other Ingredients
- 2 medium sized onions thinly sliced
- 2 to 3 green chilies (hari mirch) chopped
- 5 to 6 garlic gloves and ¾ inch ginger crushed to a paste
- 1/2 c curd/yogurt (about 100g)
- 1/3 c fresh low fat cream or 3 to 4 tablespoon whipping cream
- 1/4 to ½ teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- 2 tbsp Ghee
- 1 c water or add as required
- salt as required
Royal Paste
- 1 tbsp poppy seeds (khus khus)
- 10 to 12 almonds
- 10 to 12 cashews
- 1 tbsp melon seeds (magaz)
- 1/4 c water for grinding to a paste or add as required
Whole Garam Masala
- 2 to 3 green cardamom
- 1 black cardamom
- 3 cloves
- 1 inch stick of cinnamon
- 1 tej patta (indian bay leaf)
- 2 single strands of mace
Garnish
- 1 tbsp Ghee
- 6 to 7 almonds blanched and peeled
- 10 pistachios
- 10 cashews
- 10 walnut halves
- 1 tbsp raisins
- 1/2 c chopped pineapple or 2 to 3 pineapple slices chopped
- 1/2 tbsp melon seeds
- 1 tbsp mint leaves
- a pinch of saffron strands
- 2 tsp ginger julienne
Instructions
Prepare Paste
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.
Making Navaaratan Korma
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.
Then add the mixed veggies. Stir.
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.
Garnish
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.
Saute for half a minute.
Serve
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.