Veg Kurma (or Vegetable Korma) is made by cooking mixed vegetables in a creamy gravy of yogurt, cashews, coconut and spices. This South Indian hotel-style recipe is mildly spiced and full of flavor. The gravy is smooth, rich and pairs well with poori, dosa, parotta or rice. Serve hot for a comforting meal.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 20 minutes
  • Cook time: 25 minutes
  • Total time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 5
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: South Indian, Tamil Nadu

Ingredients

  • 5 tablespoons desiccated coconut ((unsweetened) or fresh/frozen grated coconut)
  • 12 to 15 cashews (- soaked)
  • 2 teaspoons poppy seeds ((khus khus), optional)
  • ½ tablespoon roasted chana dal ((roasted split & husked bengal gram))
  • ½ tablespoon coriander seeds
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 3 cloves
  • 2 green cardamoms
  • 4 to 5 black peppercorns
  • 1 kapok bud ((marathi moggu), optional)
  • 1 tiny piece of stone flower ((pathar phool), optional)
  • 1 teaspoon green chilies (- chopped or 2 green chillies)
  • 1 to 1.5 teaspoons garlic (- finely chopped or 4 to 5 small to medium-sized garlic)
  • 1.5 teaspoons ginger (- finely chopped or 1 inch ginger)
  • ½ cup water (- for blending or add as required)
  • 1 to 1.25 cups cauliflower florets ((medium sized))
  • ¾ cup potatoes (- chopped or 1 medium potato - diced)
  • ⅓ cup green peas (fresh or frozen)
  • ¼ cup french beans (or 7 to 8 french beans)
  • ½ cup carrots (- chopped or 1 medium carrot)
  • 2 tablespoons oil (- any neutral oil or coconut oil)
  • ⅓ cup onions (- finely chopped or 1 medium sized onion)
  • ⅓ cup tomatoes (- finely chopped or 1 medium tomato)
  • 7 to 8 curry leaves ((medium to large) or 12 to 15 small sized)
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • ½ teaspoon red chili powder
  • 2 tablespoons curd ((yogurt) - optional)
  • 1.25 cups water (- for slightly thin gravy, add 1.5 cups water)
  • salt (as required)
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves ((cilantro))

Method

Preparation

  1. Soak cashews in hot water for 20 to 30 minutes. Later drain and set aside.
  2. Rinse and soak cauliflower florets in hot water for 15 to 20 minutes. This step is optional and only to get rid of any insects or worms in the cauliflower. After blanching the cauliflower, strain them and set aside.
  3. Rinse, peel and chop the rest of the vegetables.
  4. Add the the ingredients mentioned under 'for kurma paste' in a blender or mixer-grinder.
  5. Pour ½ cup water or as required and grind to a smooth fine paste. Set aside.

Sautéing

  1. Heat oil in a 2-litre stovetop pressure cooker or a pan. Add the chopped onions.
  2. Stir and sauté until the onions turn translucent or light golden. Add curry leaves and mix.
  3. Next add the chopped tomatoes, turmeric powder and red chili powder. Stir and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.
  4. Add the prepared ground kurma paste. Stir and mix well.
  5. Sauté stirring often for 6 to 7 minutes on a low to medium heat or until you see the oil releasing from the sides and the paste becoming glossy and thick.
  6. Then add fresh curd (yogurt). If you prefer, you can skip yogurt too.
  7. Mix the curd very well with the rest of the masala paste.
  8. Add the chopped mix vegetables. Stir and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes.
  9. Next add 1.25 cups water. Mix well.For slightly thin gravy you can add 1.5 cups water. If cooking in a pan or pot, then add 1.5 to 2 cups of water or as needed.
  10. Season with salt according to your taste preferences.

Making veg kurma

  1. Pressure cook for 2 whistles or for 8 to 9 minutes on medium heat.
  2. When the pressure drops down on its own naturally, open the lid. If you find the gravy thin, simmer the korma for some more minutes.
  3. If the gravy looks thick, then add some water and simmer for a few more minutes. Note that the consistency is medium and neither thin nor thick.
  4. Add chopped coriander leaves and give a stir.

Serving suggestions

  1. Indian flat breads: Korma tastes great with some soft roti or a chewy naan or a flaky paratha.
  2. Indian fry bread: Poori which is the most popular Indian fried bread is again a best choice to have korma.
  3. Rice: Plain steamed rice or flavored rice like ghee rice, biryani rice make easy and tasty sides with korma.
  4. Dosa: Soft dosa like neer dosa or poha dosa or a lacy, soft appam tastes nice with korma gravy.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.