NAVRATAN KURMA

Navratan Korma is a rich gravy based curry to serve along with roti/naan/phulka etc.  It is rich since lots of dry fruits, cream etc are added to this.  Navratan means nine jewels.  So nine vegetables are included in making this tasty curry.  

You will feel that the preparation of this dish is quite a lengthy procedure, but if you make for two to three times, then will be very easy for your next attempt.

It is also easy for the parents to feed their children those who are reluctant to eat the vegetables.

Let us look at the recipe now:

Ingredients:

4 tbsp	Oil
1	Carrot Cubed
½ cup	Green peas
1 large	Potato cubed
½ cup	Beans cut into ¼ “ pc
¼ cup	Cauliflower
3-4	Baby corns cubed
¼ cup	Apple cubes
Few	Pineapple chunks (optional)
¼ cup	Green grapes

Garnishing:

3 tbsp	Chopped cashews
2 tbsp	Almonds
1 tbsp	Raisins

For the gravy

                  

Handful	Cashews
2 tbsp	Melon seeds
1 onion	Sliced
1-2	Green chilli (adjust according to your requirement)
½ tsp	Ginger paste
½ cup	Curd
¼ cup	Cream
½ tsp	Cardamom powder
¼ tsp	Turmeric powder
1 tsp	Red chilli powder
2-3 tsp	Ghee
Salt
1 tsp	oil

Whole spices required

2-3 cardamom

1 black cardamom

2-3 cloves

1 small stick of dalchini

1 bay leaf

 
Dry fruits for garnishing 

Pistachios, cashew, almonds. kishmish, 2 tbsp pomegranate seeds
 
How to proceed:
 
FIRST STEP:  Preparation of Paste:
 
a)     Soak the poppy seeds (khuskhus) for 20-30 minutes in water.  If you want to avoid this no problem (increase the quantity of almonds and cashew nuts or melon seeds).  You have to soak the khus khus in water otherwise it will be difficult to grind them.
b)    Soak the almonds in hot water so that the skin can be removed easily.
c)    When this is done, make a fine paste of the almonds, poppy seeds, cashew nuts, melon with ¼ to ½ cup water and keep aside.
 
SECOND STEP:  Preparation of Korma:

a)    Heat ghee/oil in kadai.  When it is hot, add the whole spices in it.
b)    When the nice aroma comes out, add the onions and sauté them till translucent and change the colour to slightly brown.
c)    Add the ginger and green chilli and stir for a minute.
d)    Switch off the gas.  After two minutes, add the turmeric and red chilli powder.  This will avoid burning of the chilli powder and turmeric powder.
e)    When it cools down, add water  and grind to a smooth paste. 
f)     According to the required consistency you want, add water while grinding. 
g)    In a kadai put one tsp oil and add the vegetables and sauté for few minutes.  This will enhance the taste of the vegetables as well as helps in cooking faster.
h)   Add the paste, mix well, cover and cook till the vegetables are cooked properly.
i)     Add the cream and stir the korma for a minute. 
j)     Add the cardamom powder, half of the garnish ingredients, mix well.
k)    While serving add the remaining garnish ingredients .  Your Navratan Korma is ready to serve.
 
How to serve:
 
Serve along with nan, roti,phulka with sliced onion, pickle etc.
 
Note:

 
Some people are allergic to khus khus i.e. poppy seeds.  You can avoid this if you wish and add extra cashew/badam and melon seeds.
You can add bit sugar, if you want.
Serve hot with sliced onion, pickle etc. with roti/naan.

Instead of cream, I used to add milk.