Recipe- Rich And Creamy Navratan Korma

A rich and creamy dish, Navratan Korma gets it’s name from nine ingredients/jewels (nav=nine and ratan=jewels) which are cooked together in a super creamy sauce.

The base of this curry is made with cashews, poppy seeds and is finished with cream to make it decadent.Nav means nine and ratan means jewels, so each of the nine ingredients represented the courtiers in the king’s courtroom.

It is traditionally recommend to use 9 key ingredients in the recipe which are usually a mix of vegetables, fruits and nuts.

The combination of fruits, nuts, cream makes this a sweet curry. It has this sweet creamy taste and is not spicy at all.So, if you prefer creamy sweet curries then this one is for you!

Ingredients

2 medium yellow onion or 1 large yellow onion
1 inch ginger chopped
4 large garlic cloves chopped
1 green chili
15-20 cashews
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
3 cups water 24 oz
1 medium potato diced 1/2 inch wide pieces
1 cup cauliflower florets small florets
1 large carrot diced small
12-14 green beans cut into 1-inch pieces
1/3 cup green peas frozen
1 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon + 1/2 teaspoon ghee divided
1 bay leaf
2 cloves
2-3 whole green cardamom
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
1/4 teaspoon red chili powder or to taste
3/4 cup water
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
3/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup cream
2 teaspoons golden raisins
5-6 whole cashews
pinch saffron strands soaked in 1 tablespoon warm milk
1 tablespoon pomegranate arils
pinch cardamom powder
pinch garam masala
2 tablespoons chopped pineapple pieces

Method

* To a large kadai or pan add chopped onion, ginger, garlic, green chili, 15-20 cashews, poppy seeds along with 3 cups (24 oz) water.

* Boil on medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes.

* Chop all the veggies and remember to chop them small. Chop the potatoes around 1/2 inch pieces and cauliflower into small florets. These way they will cook quickly when boiled in water.

* Meanwhile fill a pan with water and let it come to a boil. Once it starts to boil, add potato, cauliflower, carrot, beans and peas. Boil on medium heat for 10 minutes.

* After 10 minutes, the veggies will be fork tender, you do not want them mushy or be over-cooked. Drain them using a colander and set aside.

* Meanwhile once the onions, cashews, ginger, garlic have boiled for 15 to 20 minutes, turn off the heat.

* Let it cool down a bit and then transfer the entire mixture to a blender and blend to a smooth paste and set it aside.

* In a kadai/wok, heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon ghee on medium heat. Add bay leaf, cloves and cardamom. Let the spices sizzle.

* And then add the pureed onion cashew paste to it. Cook the paste on low-medium heat for 5 minutes.

* After the paste has cooked for 5 minutes, add the coriander powder, cumin and red chili powder.

* Stir and cook for 3 more minutes and then add the salt, sugar and water and continue to cook for 3 more minutes on low heat.

* Stir in the veggies. Mix and cook for 1 minute.

* Then add the cream and mix. Cook the veggies on low heat for 3 to 4 minutes.

* Meanwhile heat 1/2 teaspoon ghee in a small pan and add golden raisins and 6-7 cashews to it and fry until the raisins plump up, set it aside.

* Also, heat 1 tablespoon milk and then add a pinch of crushed saffron strands to it. Remove pan from heat and set aside.

* Add the pomegranate, the fried cashews and raisins and mix.

* Also add the prepared saffron milk.

* Mix everything together and cook for 2 more minutes. Sprinkle cardamom powder.

* Also sprinkle some garam masala on top and then turn off the heat.

* Let the curry cool down a bit, for 6 to 7 minutes and then add the pineapple pieces.

* Serve Navratan Korma warm with naan or tandoori roti.