Kitchen Recipe Collection
Indian Navratan Korma
A luxurious, sweet, and mild vegetarian curry made with nine 'gems'—a mix of vegetables, fruits, and nuts in a rich cream sauce.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 65 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- medium
- Cuisine
- indian
Ingredients
Scaled for 4 servings
- mixed vegetables (carrots, beans, peas, cauliflower)
- paneer
- pineapple or apple cubes
- cashews and raisins
- heavy cream
- yogurt
- onion-cashew paste
- ghee
- cardamom
- white pepper
Equipment
- Heavy-bottomed pan
- Blender
Instructions
- 1
Gather the Nine Gems
Ensure you have 9 distinct elements (e.g., carrots, beans, peas, cauliflower, paneer, cashews, raisins, pineapple, almonds).
- 2
Blanch Vegetables
Cut the vegetables into uniform, small cubes. Blanch them in boiling salted water until just tender. Drain well.
- 3
Fry the Extras
In a pan, lightly fry the paneer cubes, cashews, and almonds in a little ghee until golden. Set aside.
- 4
Prepare Base Paste
Boil chopped onions, green chilies, ginger, and garlic. Blend them into a smooth white paste.
- 5
Heat Ghee
In a heavy pot, heat ghee. Add whole green cardamoms and a small cinnamon stick.
- 6
Sauté the Paste
Add the white onion paste. Sauté on low heat for 7-8 minutes without letting it turn brown.
- 7
Add Yogurt
Whisk thick yogurt and gently stir it into the pan. Keep stirring until the ghee begins to separate.
- 8
Season the Gravy
Add salt, white pepper powder, and a teaspoon of sugar. Navratan Korma should have a distinct, pleasant sweetness.
- 9
Add the Gems
Fold in the blanched vegetables, fried paneer, cashews, almonds, and soaked raisins.
- 10
Simmer
Add half a cup of milk or water to adjust the thickness. Simmer gently for 5 minutes.
- 11
Add Fruit
Turn off the heat. Fold in the fresh pineapple or apple cubes. Do not cook the fruit, just let it warm through.
- 12
Finish and Serve
Swirl in a generous amount of heavy cream. Garnish with a few pomegranate arils and serve with Naan.
Cooking Tips
- The gravy must remain white or very pale yellow. Avoid turmeric and red chili powder completely.
- The fruit adds the authentic 'Navratan' (nine gems) touch. Pineapple is traditional, but firm grapes or apples work too.
Variations
- Vegan Navratan Korma: Substitute ghee with coconut oil, paneer with tofu, and dairy cream with cashew cream or coconut cream.
Chef's Notes & Storage
- The name translates to 'Nine-Gem Curry', representing the nine courtiers of the Mughal Emperor Akbar.
Nutrition Estimate
430 calories · 12g protein · 32g carbs · 30g fat · 5g fiber per serving
