Recipe: Vegetable Korma

Vegetable Korma

Preparation time: 20 min.
Cooking time: 35 min.
Serves 4

Vegetable Korma 1 cup (approx. 6 oz.) finely chopped green or string beans
1 cup (approx. 6 oz.) finely chopped carrots
2 potatoes, finely chopped
1/2 cup (3 oz.) shelled green peas
1 large tomato, chopped
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon ghee
A few bay leaves
1/2 bunch of coriander (Chinese parsley) leaves (to garnish)

Paste
1/2 coconut, grated (approx. 1/2 cup flaked coconut)
6-8 green chillies (chili peppers)
1 small onion, chopped
A piece of fresh ginger (1 cm/ 1/2 inch long)
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 small bunch of coriander (Chinese parsley) leaves
A little water

Masala
1 tablespoon aniseed
A small piece of cinnamon bark
6 cloves
2 cardamom pods
1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Method

Paste: Place the grated coconut, green chillies, chopped onion, ginger, ground turmeric and coriander leaves in an electric blender or food processor, adding only a little water. Blend ingredients to a fine paste. Set aside.

Masala: Place the aniseed, cinnamon bark, cloves, cardamom pods, and poppy seeds in a heavy saucepan. Dry-roast spices until they give off a strong aroma. Grind to a fine powder in an electric blender or food processor. Set aside.

Place the finely chopped green beans, carrots, and potatoes in a heavy saucepan. Add sufficient water to just cover the vegetables. Cover pan with a lid, and cook until the vegetables are tender. Now add the green peas, chopped tomato and salt to taste. Simmer for 1-2 minutes.

Add the paste. Stir thoroughly before sprinkling in the masala powder. Stir the korma thoroughly once more.

Buy the Book!

Dakshin:
Vegetarian Cuisine from South India
By Chandra Padmanabhan
Periplus Editions/Tuttle Publishing, November 1999
Trade paperback, $18.95
176 pages, 97 full-color photographs
ISBN: 962-593-527-4
Recipe reprinted by permission.