Vegetable Kurma or Vegetable Korma is my go-to recipe for a number of reasons. But, let me confess and say upfront that I made this very similar to the navratan kurma which The Husband really digs. Boys seem to like mixed vegetables disguised under some spicy gravy don’t they? If I make TH a single-vegetable dish, he is okay with it. Add two vegetables, he is happy. Add three, he loves it! True story.
I love the Chettinad style of cooking with whole spices, coconuts and such. The flavours are bold and loud, the ingredients are in your face and every bite makes you feel vibrant and reminds you that you are eating this meal and loving it. While the general agreement is that Chettinad cooking is best done with meat, I tend to think that this vegetable kurma is a fairly good vegetarian version. While I won’t claim this is a Chettinad style vegetable curry recipe, I do think it’s largely inspired from that cuisine.
I love serving this kurma with spongy uttappam but chapatis or rotis are really the perfect and classic pairing. You can adjust the ingredients in all sorts of manners – from picking a different mix of vegetables to adding as little or as much spices and coconut as you’d like. You can even choose to heat up the spices in oil instead of grinding it with the coconut as I have done. I have tried both versions and they both create a fine kurma.
More side dish recipes for rotis:
Paneer korma
Soya chunks vegetable kurma
Navratan Kurma
Chettinad mixed vegetable curry
Mushroom korma
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Mixed vegetable kurma or korma recipe using simple every day vegetables and spices. Perfect side dish with rotis or parathas.
Ingredients
2 onions
2–3 green chillies
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
3 cups mixed chopped vegetables (I used carrots, beans, potatoes, and tomatoes)
1/2 cup milk
2 tbsp yogurt (optional)
2 tsp coriander powder / malli podi
1/2 tsp cumin / jeera
1/2 tsp black mustard seeds
1/4 tsp fennel seeds
A few curry leaves
1 tbsp oil
2 tsp ghee
Salt to taste
To Grind:
4 cloves
2″ cinnamon stick
2 cardamom pods
5–6 cashew nuts
2 green chillies
1/4 cup grated coconut
Instructions
Add the ingredients under the list “to grind” into a small mixie jar or spice grinder.
Grind to a smooth paste with water. I added about 1/2 cup water while grinding but this depends on the size of your grinder and how smooth you want the paste to be. Set aside.
Heat oil and ghee in a pan and add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and fennel. Fry for a minute or until the mustard seeds start popping.
Add the sliced onions, curry leaves, and green chillies. Saute until the onions turn a light brown.
Add the ginger garlic paste along with the coriander powder and sauté again until fragrant – another minute or so.
Now add the chopped vegetables and coconut paste. Top up with about 1 cup water and the milk for the vegetables to get cooked properly.
Add some turmeric and simmer until the vegetables are cooked yet hold their shape.
You can cook down the vegetables to your preferred consistency. Add yogurt at this stage, if using.
Finally add salt and remove from fire.
Serve mixed vegetable kurma hot with chapatis, rotis, nan, parotta, or even pulao.
Step by Step Mixed Vegetable Kurma Recipe:
Add the ingredients under the list “to grind” into a small mixie jar or spice grinder.
Grind to a smooth paste with water. I added about 1/2 cup water while grinding but this depends on the size of your grinder and how smooth you want the paste to be. Set aside.
Heat oil and ghee in a pan and add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and fennel. Fry for a minute or until the mustard seeds start popping.
Add the sliced onions, curry leaves, and green chillies. Saute until the onions turn a light brown.
Add the ginger garlic paste along with the coriander powder and sauté again until fragrant – another minute or so.
Now add the chopped vegetables and coconut paste. Top up with about 1 cup water and the milk for the vegetables to get cooked properly.
Add some turmeric and simmer until the vegetables are cooked yet hold their shape.
You can cook down the vegetables to your preferred consistency. Add yogurt at this stage, if using.
Finally add salt and remove from fire. Serve vegetable kurma hot with chapatis, rotis, nan, parotta, or even pulao.
Note: this recipe was updated with new and step by step pictures on 21st March, 2015.
leena says
March 25, 2013 at 9:31 pmhi..can i make the ground paste and keep in the fridge and use it the next day?
Nagalakshmi V says
March 26, 2013 at 1:30 amyes sure, but i won't recommend keeping it for longer than a day
leena says
March 26, 2013 at 10:43 pmok..thanks! 🙂
Prasanna S Krishnan says
February 19, 2013 at 8:08 pmTried this recipe with a couple of adjustments here and there. It turned out yummy.
I didn't get the color either – in spite of adding a pinch turmeric power while adding curry leaves et all initially..
Prasanna S Krishnan says
February 19, 2013 at 8:06 pmI didn't get the color either. But, it was still yummy. ~ Prasanna
Anonymous says
August 9, 2012 at 12:34 ami didnt get that colour what u showed in picture
Anonymous says
July 26, 2012 at 2:56 pmhi i am ur new fan…………. i tried veg kurma it came out awesome thanks a lot
Nagalakshmi V says
January 8, 2012 at 5:21 amoh dear.. well as you can imagine, it's tough to troubleshoot what went wrong with a recipe without being there or knowing exactly what you did to create the recipe. I hope your next trial comes out well.
Kelley says
January 8, 2012 at 2:24 amI tried making this recipe this evening. Unfortunately it did not come out well at all. It was more like a thin onion soup, and was not that lovely golden yellow color like yours. Not sure what I did wrong.
yumzilicious says
June 10, 2011 at 2:17 amomg, the boys liking mixed veggie gravies thing is so true! Mr. Yumzilicious heads the pack. He LOVES 2, 3 or more veggies in any form of random 'masala'. This post makes me smile. 🙂
Hari Chandana says
June 4, 2011 at 4:12 amLooks so tempting and perfect.. love the presentation too .. 🙂
Indian Cuisine
Divya Vikram says
June 4, 2011 at 2:40 amCurries and biryanis always taste better the next day 🙂
Anu Nandu says
June 4, 2011 at 2:18 amI'll enjoy this for dinner but will want that mango cheesecake for dessert. Ok? This is one of my favorite comfort foods – I love any kind of kurmas and wish I had your left overs at home today!
Priya says
June 3, 2011 at 4:43 pmPrefect looking kurma, can have it with rotis and rice..yumm!
Hamaree Rasoi says
June 3, 2011 at 1:01 pmThe thick gravy looks even better to me. very nice side dish. Would love to have this with parathas
Sanjeeta kk says
June 3, 2011 at 12:58 pmLove the creamy texture and the way the veggies are one with the gravy! Lovely click.
RAKS KITCHEN says
June 3, 2011 at 11:03 amI love this with malabar parota …You made me crave for some,tomorrow will quench this in little India 🙂
Siri says
June 3, 2011 at 9:37 amI think it looks and am sure tastes even better the next day Nags. :-).
Siri