Navratan Kurma


Photo by Pooja Hanabaratti

Ingredients

  • ½ cup raw cashews nuts, soaked in about 1 cup of water for about half an hour
  • 3 cups chopped mixed vegetables (such as carrots, potatoes, cauliflower, green beans)
  • 1 medium-sized onion, coarsely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1″ pc ginger
  • 1 or more green chillies (optional), deseeded
  • 1 tsp turmeric (haldi)
  • ¼ – ½  tsp garam masala
  • 2 pods cardamom
  • 2 medium-sized tomatoes, chopped
  • ½ cup plain soy yoghurt
  • Unrefined salt, to taste
  • 1 cup tofu cubes (optional)
  • 1 tbsp raisins
  • 3 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander leaves, for the garnish
  • Cashew nuts and raisins, for the garnish

Method

Drain and rinse the soaked cashew nuts. In a blender, grind them to a fairly smooth paste, adding a little water (a tablespoon at a time), if required.

Steam the mixed vegetables until tender and keep aside.

Process onion, garlic, ginger, chillies and poppy seeds (if using) in a food processor. Process into a coarse paste, or mince them. Add this paste to heavy bottomed stainless-steel pan and sauté, until the mixture becomes fragrant, or until it just starts to turn a little brown. Add the turmeric, garam masala and cardamom and stir. Then add tomatoes and cook, stirring, until tomatoes break down – approximately 3 minutes.

Add soy yoghurt and stir, letting the paste cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add salt, if using.

Add cooked vegetables, tofu, raisins, and cashew paste and mix well.

When the gravy comes to a boil, turn the heat down and simmer on low heat for another 5 minutes for the flavours to incorporate.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves, cashew nuts and raisins.

Serves 6