South Indian Vegetable Korma |
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Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cook Time: 20 Minutes |
Ready In: 40 Minutes Servings: 4 |
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Aromatic and delicious, with the fresh and lively flavour of cilantro, balanced by the creamy sweetness of grated coconut. Feel free to substitute vegetables of your choice. Cauliflower, winter squash, red bell pepper and aubergine all work well. We are lucky to have a neighbour with a 'drumstick' tree, so I included some of this in mine. Yum! Serve with rice, and other curry dishes if you wish. Adapted from a recipe by Chandra Padmanabhan. Ingredients:
1 cup finely chopped green beans |
1 cup finely chopped carrot |
2 medium potatoes, diced into small pieces |
1/2 cup shelled green peas |
1 large tomato, peeled and finely chopped |
salt, to taste |
1 tablespoon vegetable oil (or ghee if you prefer) |
5 -6 fresh curry leaves |
1/2 bunch cilantro leaf (to garnish) |
1/2 cup grated unsweetened coconut |
6 green chilies, roughly chopped (and de-seeded for a milder curry, if you prefer) |
1 small onion, chopped |
1/2 inch piece fresh ginger, chopped |
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric |
1 bunch cilantro |
water |
1 teaspoon ground aniseed |
1 inch piece cinnamon bark |
6 cloves |
2 green cardamom pods |
1 tablespoon white poppy seeds |
Directions:
1. Blend or process the grated coconut, chillies, onion, ginger, turmeric and cilantro together with a little water, in a blender or processor, until they form a fine paste. Set to one side.
2. For the masala, heat a small, heavy-based skillet or pan over a medium-high heat. Add the anise, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom pods and poppy seeds, and dry-roast them until they give off a strong aroma. Be careful they do not burn. Grind them to a fine paste and set aside.
3. Place all the vegetables except the tomato in a heavy saucepan, and add enough water to just cover them. Bring to to boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, until the vegetables are just tender. Add the chopped tomato and salt, to taste, and simmer 1 - 2 minutes longer.
4. Add the coconut/cilantro paste to the vegetables, and stir, before adding the masala powder. Mix well.
5. Heat the oil or ghee in a small skillet, and saute the curry leaves for a minute or two before adding them to the korma.
6. Garnish the finished dish with fresh cilantro leaves.
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