South Indian Vegetable Korma Recipes

VEG KURMA (HOTEL STYLE)

Steps:

• Soak in hot water for 20 to 30 minutes. Later drain and set aside.
• 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, drain them and set aside.
• Rinse, peel and chop the rest of the vegetables.
• Add the the ingredients mentioned under 'for kurma paste' in a in a blender or mixer-grinder.
• Pour ½ cup water or as required and grind to a smooth fine paste. Set aside.
• Heat oil in a 2-litre pressure cooker or a pan. Add the chopped onions.
• Stir and sauté until the onions turn translucent or light golden. Add curry leaves and mix.
• Next add the chopped tomatoes, turmeric powder and red chili powder. Stir and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add the ground kurma paste. Stir and mix well. Sauté stirring often for 6 to 7 minutes on a low to medium flame or until you see the oil releasing from the sides and the paste becoming glossy and thick.
• Then add fresh curd (yogurt). If you want, you can skip yogurt too.
• Mix the curd very well with the rest of the masala paste.
• Add the chopped mix vegetables. Stir and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes.
• Then add 1.25 cups water. For slightly thin gravy you can add 1.5 cups water. If cooking in a pan, then add 1.5 to 2 cups of water. Mix well.
• Season with salt according to your taste preferences.
• Pressure cook for 2 whistles or for 8 to 9 minutes.
• When the pressure settles down on its own, open the lid. If you find the gravy to be thin, then you can simmer for some more minutes.
• If the gravy looks thick, then add some water and simmer for a few more minutes. The consistency should be medium - neither thin nor thick.
• Add chopped coriander leaves and give a stir.
• Indian flat breads: Korma tastes great with some soft roti or a chewy naan or a flaky paratha.
• Indian fry bread: Poori which is the most popular Indian fried bread is again a best choice to have korma.
• Rice: Plain steamed rice or flavored rice like ghee rice, biryani rice make easy and tasty sides with korma.
• Dosa: Soft dosa like neer dosa or poha dosa or a lacy, soft appam tastes nice with korma gravy.

VEG KURMA | VEGETABLE KORMA RECIPE

Steps:

• Fine chop onions & tomatoes. Slit chilli and set aside all of these. Cube the veggies to ½ inch sizes and set aside. Keep the potatoes immersed in a bowl of water until used.
• Make a fine paste of coconut, cashews, roasted chana dal & saunf with 6 tbsps water. If you do not like the flavor of fennel seeds you may skip it. Set aside the kurma paste.
• Heat a pot with oil. Then saute bay leaf, star anise, mace, jeera, cardamoms, cloves and cinnamon until they sizzle.
• Next put in the chopped onions and green chili. Fry until they turn transparent & pink in color.
• Fry ginger garlic paste until the raw smell goes off.
• Next saute tomatoes with salt until mushy and soft.
• Add turmeric, chilli powder, garam masala and coriander leaves. Saute well for 2 to 3 mins until the masala smells really good.
• Transfer the coconut paste and saute for few minutes until the kurma masala smells good.
• Drain the water from potatoes and add them to the pot.
• Next add the other veggies and mix well. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes and then pour water just enough to cover the veggies. Adjust salt if needed.
• Cook until the veggies are cooked. Garnish with coriander leaves.
• Serve veg kurma with chapati, pulao or biryani.
• Press SAUTE button and pour oil to the inner pot of Instant pot. Add all the whole spices and saute for 30 seconds.
• Next add onions and chili. saute for 3 mins.
• Add ginger garlic and saute for 30 seconds.
• Next add tomatoes and salt. Saute for 1 minute.
• Move the onions and tomatoes to one side. Add the potatoes to the other side.
• Cover with an external lid and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
• Saute all of these for 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add in all the spice powder and saute for 30 to 60 seconds.
• Press CANCEL button and add the coconut paste.
• Add the rest of the veggies and mix well.
• Pour water and deglaze the bottom by scrubbing with a spatula. This releases bits of food stuck there & avoids a burn.
• Taste the water and add more salt if needed.
• Secure the Instant pot with the lid and position the steam release handle/ value to sealing.
• Press PRESSURE COOK button (high pressure) and set the timer to 1 minute.
• After the Instant pot beeps, wait for 1 minute. Then release the pressure manually by moving the steam release value from sealing to venting.
• Give a gentle stir. Vegetable korma will look runny at this stage but will thicken after it cools down a bit.

SOUTH INDIAN VEGETABLE KORMA

Steps:

• Blend or process the grated coconut, chillies, onion, ginger, turmeric and cilantro together with a little water, in a blender or processor, until they form a fine paste. Set to one side.
• For the masala, heat a small, heavy-based skillet or pan over a medium-high heat. Add the anise, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom pods and poppy seeds, and dry-roast them until they give off a strong aroma. Be careful they do not burn. Grind them to a fine paste and set aside.
• Place all the vegetables except the tomato in a heavy saucepan, and add enough water to just cover them. Bring to to boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, until the vegetables are just tender. Add the chopped tomato and salt, to taste, and simmer 1 - 2 minutes longer.
• Add the coconut/cilantro paste to the vegetables, and stir, before adding the masala powder. Mix well.
• Heat the oil or ghee in a small skillet, and saute the curry leaves for a minute or two before adding them to the korma.
• Garnish the finished dish with fresh cilantro leaves.