mix vegetable korma

By Nandu

Ingredients

• for making the spice paste/masala paste:
• Ingredients (american measuring cup used, 1 cup = 250 ml)
• 5 to 6 tbsp fresh grated coconut or unsweetened desiccated coconut
• 5 to 6 whole cashews or 3/4 to 1 tbsp chopped cashews
• 1/2 tbsp roasted chana dal/daria dal/dalia
• 1/2 tbsp coriander seeds/sabut dhania
• 3 to 4 medium sized garlic, chopped
• 3/4 inch ginger, chopped
• 3 dry red kashmiri chilies or byadgi chilies - broken and deseeded if your prefer. substitute with 1 to 2 green chilies or 1 to 2 dry red chilies of any other variety, depending on the hotness and pungency of the chilies.
• 3/4 to 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 inch cinnamon stick
• 2 cloves
• 1 green cardamom
• 1 tsp poppy seeds (if not available then skip)
• a small tiny piece of stone flower/dagad phool/kalpasi/patthar ke phool (skip if not available. stone flower is strongly aromatic and flavored. so use a very tiny piece.)
• 1/2 cup water for grinding
• other ingredients:
• 1 medium to large carrot, 80 to 90 gms
• 1/2 to 1/3 cup chopped french beans, 50 to 60 gms
• 1/2 cup peas, fresh or frozen
• 1 medium to large potato, 80 to 100 gms
• 4 to 5 white button mushrooms
• 1 medium sized onion
• 1 medium sized tomato
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tbsp fresh full fat yogurt/curd/dahi (avoid using low fat or sour yogurt as the yogurt curdles when cooking)
• 1.5 cups water
• 2 to 3 tbsp oil
• salt as required
• few chopped coriander leaves for garnish

Preparation

Step 1

Instructions
take all the ingredients mentioned under the list "spice paste" in a grinder.
add ½ cup water and grind to a smooth paste. keep the ground paste aside.
rinse, peel and dice all the veggies.
heat oil in a pressure cooker or pan. add onions and curry leaves and saute till the onions become translucent.
add chopped tomatoes, turmeric powder. stir and saute for 4 to 5 mins till the tomatoes soften.
add the ground spice paste. stir and saute till oil starts to leave the sides of the paste. this takes about 4 to 5 mins on a low flame. stir often so that the masala or spice paste does not stick to the bottom of the cooker or pan.
now add the diced vegetables and yogurt.
saute on a low flame for 3 to 4 mins and then add 1.5 cups water. season with salt. stir very well. if using pressure cooker, cover with its lid and pressure cook for 2 to 3 whistles on medium to high flame. if using a pan, cover the pan and allow the vegetables to cook. if the curry looks thick while cooking in a pan, then add some hot water.
once the vegetable are cooked well, then garnish with some coriander leaves and serve the vegetable korma with chapatis, parathas or pooris.