The uneven quilt of white enveloping the vast landscape is poignantly beautiful. The ice stalactites that hang from our roofs like luminous drapes, translucent, frozen cones of dripping ice thick enough to impale were they to break from their base and fall on someone, make a pretty picture. The thick walls of snow lining up roads shrouding the crossroads impart an air of mystery. All the cars hoping to get onto the main road from a less-important side road nose in shamelessly because no amount of neck-craining will enable them a view of oncoming traffic.
New England, and particularly the area where we live, has been slammed by the blizzard series that has been entertaining the old man winter by visiting him every 5th day. Those who have steep driveways have been mulling over the idea of tumbling skating down their driveways straight onto their destination and then think better of it and staying back. The clever bunch of pre-teens in our neighborhood have been knocking on the doors and pocketing quite a bit of cash by scraping the dratted snow off the walkways.
Today I also learned that we have this stupid law in MA where the property owners need to clean the public walkways within six hours of a snow fall. Really? Move 8 feet banks of snow with a shovel…to where exactly?
But then there is some who ain’t no complain 😀
Grocery shopping suffers. Part glassy roads that are closer to skating rink than stretches of asphalt and tar, part laziness to step out into the cold, and rest a rush to get home as soon as the office is over means going to grocery store is at the bottom of the priority list.
Which in turn means the ingredients in the fridge are treasured, and rationed. This is the perfect time to mix and match, repurpose or create stuff out of many different ingredients.
Today the recipe I have is just not a mix and match, but it’s a ‘royal’ mix and match. A mixed vegetable delight, this classical Indian vegetable curry traces its origin to the Mughal courts of India. The Mughals, who gave India awe-inspiring architecture (The Taj Mahal), many heartaches (religious persecution), countless folklores and a cuisine nonpareil.
The lore says that this dish was conceived in the royal kitchens of Badshah Akbar, the most powerful and benevolent Mughal king. Akbar, who ascended the throne at the age of 12, was illiterate. However, he was a brilliant strategist, a lover of art and music and believed in a society that was primarily secular. He liked to be surrounded by people of brilliant minds, of great wit, wisdom and courage. He appointed nine people in particular who came to be known as the nine gems, or ‘navrattan’, each a prolific expert in their own field, geniuses who made outstanding contribution in their realms. It is said that the navrattan korma was designed as a tribute to the ‘Navrattans’ in Akbar’s court.
The dish has a few variations, but over the years, I have found this to the best recipe so far. It comes from an acquaintance from many years ago, and while I have lost touch with her, I haven’t forgotten the recipe or her. Of course I have added a few personal touches, and as of today, this stands as the one of the best Navrattan korma, or vegetable korma as it is also known as, that I have had.
Enjoy!
- ½ cup potatoes cubed to ½th inch
- 1 cup caulifower florets
- ½ cup carrots cubed small
- ½ cup green peas
- ½ cup green french beans chopped to an inch
- ½ cup bell peppers cubed small
- 1 cup mixed nuts (cashews, almonds, pistachio)
- 1 tbsp raisins
- 1 cup paneer
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- 2 onions thinly sliced
- 2 large tomatoes chopped
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- ½ cup whole cashews (aside from the nuts above)
- 1 tbsp poppy seed paste
- 1 thai green chili
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 1 tbsp grated ginger and garlic
- 4 tbsp ghee/olive oil plus 1 tsp ghee
- 1 big red chilli
- 1 cup thick coconut milk
- 4 tbsp khowa (optional)
- 1 tsp fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi)
- 1 pinch cardamom powder (freshly ground if possible using mortar and pestle)
- Salt to taste
- Boil one pan of water filled to a little below the brim.
- Once it boils, turn of the flame and immerse all the vegetables. (If you are using frozen vegetables, see note below)
- Cover and keep aside for five minutes. Drain and keep the blanched vegetables aside.
- Heat 4 tbsp ghee, temper the cumin seeds and add onions.
- Once the onions are browned, add tomatoes, chilli, coriander powder, cashew, poppy seed paste, red chilli powder, turmeric, grated ginger garlic. Saute well and cook till oil leaves sides.
- Cool, add ½ cup water, blend.
- Place the mixture back into pan, add blanced veggies, paneer.
- Add salt and cook for 10 minutes on medium to low heat, covered. (See note for frozen vegetables)
- In a separate dutch pan, add 1 tsp of ghee, one red chilli, khowa (optional, recommended), and the nuts. Don't let the nuts brown, just well coated with khowa and ghee.
- Now pour the veggetable mixture into the pan. Add coconut milk, kasoori methi and cardamom powder. Stir till bubbles show up.
- Cook for 5-7 minutes on the low, covered.
- Transfer to a serving dish and serve hot with roti/ naan.
Notes:
You can replace coconut milk with cream. Originally, it possibly was cream, but coconut milk actually imparts more flavor besides being health friendly.
If you are using frozen vegetables, you don’t need to blanch them. Simply add them at step 4 of cooking and cook on high for two minutes, stirring, then go to step 5.
You can add or subtract vegetables by choice. However, always use firm vegetables that don’t become squishy.
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