Named after the nine precious gems/jewels of the great Mughal Emperor Akbar, Navratan Korma is a rich curry prepared from nine delectable assortments of vegetables, fruits, and nuts. It is a creamy, flavorful and mildly sweet curry which can be served with roti, or any flavored rice.
I have had different Kurmas or Kormas back in Kerala. But these curries are made of coconut milk. However, Navrathan Korma is made of a richer gravy made of cashew paste. There are different versions of this dish, including non-vegetarian variation. You can find a slightly spicier or sweeter version in different parts of India.
I dreaded making this dish as I believed it would be time-consuming. But no! As I went through and prepared each of the instructions systematically, I realized it was a piece of cake!
How to Make Navrathan Korma at Home
Boil the vegetables and keep aside. Boil onions and cashews together and grind to a rich paste when cooled down. Cook this gravy with dry garam masala and spices, add paneer, veggies, fruits and a little water. Garnish with dry fruits. Easy-peasy!
The nine gems or assortments of this dish could be anything – be it nine vegetables, or nine fruits or nine garnishing ingredients. I have used here five vegetables and four nuts/dry fruits for preparing this dish. I love pineapple in my Navratan Korma, however, I couldn’t get it this time!
Navratan Korma Recipe:
Ingredients
- 200 grams of cubed potatoes
- 200 grams of cubed carrots
- 200 grams of cauliflower florets
- 100 grams of chopped beans
- 2 onions, finely chopped
- 200 grams of cashew nuts
- 3 cups of water
- Oil
- 1 bayleaf
- 2 cloves
- 1 inch cinnamon stick
- 2 cardamon
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 green chillies, slit
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
- A handful of chopped dry fruits like cashew nuts, raisins and almonds
- Salt, as required
- 1/2 cup of pineapple cubes (optional)
Instructions
- Boil onion and cashew nuts together for 5 minutes. When cooled off to room temperature, grind to a fine paste. Keep aside.
- In a cup of boiling water, add potatoes. Add carrots after two minutes. Add beans after another two minutes and cauliflower florets after another two more. Boil for about three more minutes. Remove from heat.
- In a pan, add oil. When hot, add cumin seeds, bay leaf, cardamon, cinnamon and cloves.
- Add the onion-cashew mixture and cook for about five minutes.
- Add coriander powder and cumin powder. Mix well and cook till oil oozes out.
- Add green chillies, a cup of water and bring it to a boil.
- Add vegetables and mix.
- Garnish with nuts and pineapple cubes, if using.
- Serve hot with roti or rice.
Tips to make a great Navratan Korma:
Chef Says:
Adding Pineapple cubes is optional. But it brings a great flavor to the dish. However, add it only just before serving. Else, it turns the curry bitter.
Do not boil the vegetables at the same time. Each has got a different cooking time and it will get mashed if not cooked in different intervals.
You can add other spice powders, but the korma is usually light in flavor.
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I have never eaten Navratan Korma 🙁 Always used to see in menu card but never really got a chance to order. I think i ll make this pretty soon:) Are you cooking all of these everyday as part of the challenge?
Happy blogging 🙂
~~ gal from the island ~~
You should issue a warning at the top of your post… May cause serious salivation. My tummy just made a whale sound looking at the pictures. Hey it does look doable… I might try this for dinner sometime.
Ooh looks yummy! I’ve never made this one but have enjoyed eating it at restaurants
I love this dish. I prefer it sweeter, so along with the pineapple, I also like some purple grapes. It adds a very good flavor to it.
I’m totally in awe of you. Shalini! Actually cooking every day for the posts! And you are doing 2 blogs! Those pictures!! Yummm! Your passion for cooking and blogging comes straight through your work and inspires me no end! 🙂 All the very best to you! Btw, I’ll be back to your blog later for some actual cooking inspiration!
Is there a rough order on which veggies go in first when it comes to boiling?
Also, never considered pineapple… but now that you say it, it would make a nice change
Yup. Mentioned it on the instructions section.
I have had this sish many times in restaurants, shadis etc, but never tried making it at home.
MMM, another delicious post. Makes me want to run and try it. I think I have most of those ingredients except cardamon, cauliflower and cashews. Now you’ve got me hungry again. I really should read these posts after lunch and not before. Haha!
This is my hubby’s favourite and you wont believe I never heard this dish before marriage. He likes it little sweet so I add pineapple to it.
Heard of this but never tried or made this. Now I will 🙂
Mom makes an awesome version of this and your pictures as usual are drool worthy! I used to order this every time I went to a North Indian restaurant. Can’t eat heavy stuff anymore these days though I do like to indulge once in a while.
I just stopped by your blog and didn’t see the N post and was wondering when I saw the tweet go up 🙂
Thank you so much Mam. I just didn’t know what to cook – whether to opt for Naan or Nankattai and then came up with this one at 4pm 😀 Well, I have a curry for dinner tonight! 😉