NAVRATTAN KORMA
Navrattan Korma is a very popular vegetable gravy dish, which is widely served in various parts of India. ‘Nav’ means nine and ‘Rattan’ means gems. So, basically this korma recipe is prepared by cooking together a combination of nine hand-picked vegetables, fruits and nuts. You don’t really have to stick with the vegetables and dry fruits that I have used in the recipe. Pick your own nine (or ten or twelve) gems and prepare the korma, the way you like. It tastes best with rotis, butter naans and lachha paranthas.
Ingredients –
- Paneer – 1 cup (diced)
- Carrots – 200 gms
- Potatoes – 2 (medium size)
- Peas – 200 gms
- Cauliflower – 250 gms
- Pineapple pieces (small) – 5-6
- Cashew Nuts – ¾ cup
- Almonds – 8-10 (cut in halves)
- Raisins – 6-8
- Onion – 1 (medium size)
- Cream – 3 tbsp
- Saffron strands – 5-6 (soaked in water)
- Coriander Leaves (chopped, for garnishing)
- Ginger Garlic Paste – ½ tbsp
- Bay Leaves – 2
- Garam Masala – 1 tbsp
- Coriander Powder – ½ tbsp
- Black Pepper Powder – ½ tbsp
- Oil – 1 ½ tbsp
- Salt – 1 tbsp
Method –
- Dice carrots, potatoes and cauliflower. The pieces should neither be too small, nor too large.
- Dice paneer as well and sauté the pieces in a tbsp of oil. Put aside for now.
- Take a pan and fill it with water. Put potatoes and carrots in the water with a teaspoon of salt and black pepper powder. Let the water boil for 3-4 minutes and then add cauliflower and peas to it. Remove the pan from heat when the vegetables become slightly tender.
- Now, you have to boil cashew nuts and onions as well. Boil the two for about 5-7 minutes and then shift them to a mixer and blend them together to make a paste of creamy consistency.
- Heat a pan and pour oil in it. Add bay leaves, ginger garlic paste, coriander powder and garam masala. Cook them for about a minute. Then simmer the heat and add the onion and cashew nut paste while constantly stirring the mixture. When the oil separates from the mix, add half a cup of water and wait till it comes to a boil.
- Wait for a couple of minutes and then add the vegetables (cauliflower, peas, carrots and potatoes). Also, add the paneer pieces and the dry fruits (almonds and raisins). After a couple of minutes, add cream, pineapple pieces, salt, saffron strands and black pepper powder. Mix well.
- Cook the korma for another 8-10 minutes and garnish it with coriander leaves. Serve hot!
