vegan vegetable korma with cashews & coconut milk

Vegetable Korma is the perfect dish to feed a large crowd. Easy to make, full of flavors and colors and with a mix of textures, it is a sure crowd-pleaser.  And very forgiving to all creative interpretations!  The very first korma I made was from a Tarla Dalal book and I think I was just out of high school.  That Navratan Korma, rich with heavy cream, paneer and nuts was my first foray into Mughlai dishes.  But there was also the coconut-based south Indian Kurma in the Udipi restaurants, which I had a particualr fondness for.  And recently I came across yet another version in a restaurant in Philadelphia.  Part of their Sunday brunch thali, the katori with vegetables hidden in a vibrant yellow sauce and garnished with jewelled pomegrante seeds and micro greens had me at first sight 🙂

If I could have made my way into the restaurant kitchen and pestered the chef for the recipe, I would have :).  Instead, I played detective and tried to figure out the ingredients.  I could see corn and carrots and peas and cauliflower and the description on the menu mentioned cashews, so I had something to start with.

Back in my kitchen, I set about making my version.  Mine had more vegetables than were in that dish but I think the taste ended up as a close match.  This version does not have heavy cream or yogurt, which is typically found in a korma.  Instead, the soaked cashews and coconut milk was able to recreate that same rich, creamy texture and keeps it vegan.

I did not add potatoes but if you decide to, add it to the pan in the beginning along with the carrots.  The process is fairly simple and quick and you can prep the vegetables and make the sauce a day before and store in the fridge.  Then before serving, you can bring them both together and finish the cooking in a few minutes.  The korma is delicious with puris but equally good with naan, paratha, pulao or rice.

Print Recipe

Vegan Vegetabke Korma

Ingredients

• 2 cups cauliflower, cut into small florets
• 1 cup carrot, cut into 1-inch batons
• 3/4 cup each green beans (cut into 1-inch pieces), frozen peas and frozen corn
• 1 medium onion, chopped roughly
• 2 large cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 to 1 thai green chili (or more per taste)
• 1 inch ginger, chopped
• 1/4 cup cashew, soaked for 4-5 hours
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
• 1/4 tsp mace
• 1/2-inch piece cinnamon bark
• 6-8 black peppercorns
• 2 cloves
• 6 green cardamom
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp kasoori methi (optional)
• 2 tbsp peanut, canola or vegetable oil, divided
• salt to taste.

Instructions

1

Heat a tbsp of oil in a large pan on a medium flame. Add the fennel seeds, mace, cinnamon, black pepper, cloves and cardamom. Stir for a minute and when the spices begin to get slightly puffy, add the onions, ginger and garlic.

2

Add some salt and cook covered on a medium-low flame until the onions soften. Don't let it turn brown.

3

Cool and transfer to a blender ( I used the vitamix). Set the pan aside to cook the vegetables.

4

Add the coconut milk, soaked cashews and a cup of water to the blender and blend to a smooth paste. Keep aside.

5

In the same pan used to fry the onions, heat the other tbsp of oil and then add the carrots and green beans. Cook for a couple of minutes and then add the cauliflower. Add some salt and cook covered until it about 70% cooked.

6

Pour in the sauce and add the green peas and corn, turmeric powder, coriander powder and crush the kasoori methi leaves into it.

7

Add some water to the blender jar to get every last bit of the sauce out and add it to the pan.

8

Cook until the vegetables are tender but not mushy.

9

Garnish with some pomegrante seeds and chopped cilantro