This is a colorful dish, so I add as many vegetables as I can to make it more vibrant. All vegetables go so great in the dish because of their creamy flavor. Other Curry Recipe that you can try like Cauliflower Tikka Masala, Butter Paneer, etc. The post contains Helpful Tips & Tricks to make Navratan Curry. But if you’re in a hurry, you can also click “Jump to Recipe’ under the Heading to go directly to the Recipe Card, or click Recipe Card from the Table of Contents below.
ABOUT NAVARATAN CURRY?
Navratan means nine gems, meaning this recipe is made by using 9 different ingredients. Navratan Korma is a vegetarian korma made with vegetables and paneer, along with some nuts. Navratan Curry has roots of Muglai cuisine and originated from the Indian subcontinent, consisting of meat or vegetables braised with yogurt (dahi) or cream, water or stock, and spices in a creamy sauce. I make it using many different ways - by adding cashews, coconut milk, yogurt, or cream. You can use any of the ways to make thick & creamy Korma sauce. For making it Vegan, you can use Coconut milk or add fresh coconut for extra creaminess in the recipe. Navratan Korma is usually a very creamy and aromatic dish with a little sweetness. As it is so rich in flavor, this dish is served in most restaurants in many parts of India, especially in North India. Everyone has different variations in making the recipe some like adding Paneer or nuts, or using cashews while making masala, saffron, rose water, etc. I sometimes add cashews with tomatoes or add cashew paste at the end.
INGREDIENTS & SUBS
TADKA: Any Indian curry starts with Indian Tadka ( onion-tomato masala). You can make it fresh by sauteing onions or use a frozen one.VEGETABLES: Use as many vegetables as you want to make the curry more colorful. I usually add potatoes, bell peppers, cauliflower, cabbage, carrots, etc. As it is a Shahi (luxurious) curry, I also like adding paneer.WHOLE SPICES: All Indian curries are aromatic, so I add cardamoms, cloves, bay leaves, and cinnamon to the curry. This elevates the flavor and gives great flavor to the korma.NUTS: I either add cashew paste or almond flour to the curry. I also add some fried or roasted cashews, almonds, and raisins to the curry.SPICES: As the curry is so creamy, I don’t usually add many spices. The milder the spices, the more flavorful the curry gets.CREAM: To make the curry creamier, add cream or coconut milk, or yogurt to the curry. To make it vegan, I add Coconut Milk instead.SWEETNESS: Vegetable is a little sweet in flavor, so I add Honey or Sugar or Sweetener or Agave Syrup in the korma.
See the recipe card for quantities.
HOW TO MAKE NAVRATAN CURRY
** For the full recipe, check the recipe card below, but you refer here for step-by-step photo instructions. Add onions, ginger, garlic, cashews, almonds, cardamom, and cloves in a skillet. Add 3 cups of water and simmer it for 10-15 minutes. Then add in a blender and pulse it until smooth and creamy. Meanwhile, add water to a pan and let it boil. Once the water is boiled, add potatoes first, and boil them. Once the potatoes are partially boiled, add cauliflower, carrots, green beans, etc. and let it boil for 3-4 minutes. Strain the veggies and keep them aside. Add oil to the skillet and transfer the pureed onion mixture. Next, add the spices, including turmeric powder, garam masala powder, saffron milk/oil, sugar, red chili powder, and amchur/mango powder. Simmer for 2 minutes. Add the boiled veggies and let it cook for 3-4 minutes until well combined. Next, fry some cashews until golden in color. Add fried cashews, peas, pineapple, and raisins to the curry and let it simmer. Season with salt and if needed, add cream. Serve it with Roti of Naan, and enjoy!
PRO TIPS
The most important tip in making Navratna korma is not to overcook the vegetables. Otherwise, they’ll turn mushy, and the recipe will not taste great.You can blend some whole spices with the masala, which makes the recipe very aromatic. I usually add some green cardamoms and cloves to the recipe.Add honey or sugar for a little sweetness. But if you want, you can also skip it too. Also, adding pineapple cubes brings extra sweetness to the curry. If you don’t want to add cream and want a healthier option, add 1-2 tablespoon of Almond Flour to the masala and simmer for a couple of minutes. Adding Almond Flour gives a creamier texture to the curry.
HOW TO STORE IT?
You can store it in the refrigerator or the freezer, and the taste will remain the same. You can store leftover Navratna Korma (Vegetable Korma) in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. And in the freezer in a container for 1-2 months. Before using the freezer-stored Navratan Korma, just thaw and heat it in the microwave or pan on the stovetop until hot. You can also use leftover Navratna Korma (Vegetable Korma) to make a pulao by leftover curry to rice. Or you can also make rolls from the leftover Navratan Korma. Mash the korma using a potato masher or fork and then add in the Indian Flatbread Or Burrito and serve with some Green Chutney.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
You can serve this Navratan Korma with Indian flatbread like roti or naan. it also goes great with some steamed rice. Serve it with green chutney or Indian salad like chickpea salad with a big glass of lassi.
OTHER CURRY RECIPES
BUTTER PANEERKADAI PANEERSHAHI PANEERPANEER TIKKA MASALAMATAR PANEERPALAK PANEERCAULIFLOWER TIKKA MASALA
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📖 RECIPE CARD
