Navratan korma from the court of mughals

The beautiful and rich Navratan korma from the court of Mughals – a rich and creamy mix vegetable curry with richness of cashews, almonds and raisins. This is strictly a no onion no garlic recipe.
The Mughals , the mighty and powerful warriors were also great food connoisseurs, and they needed gosht or meat in every form and sherbets for their delightful and colorful evenings.  But they had invaded a country where meat was a part of the meal of small fraction of the population and am sure it had left them quizzical enough whether they did the right thing at all ?

Soon folks were sent across the mountains to Afghanistan or Persia, to bring melons, dry fruits and pomegranate so that the shahi bawarchi khana can once again revive with the rich flavors of royal Mughlai cuisine. With the advent of another century or so, many things changed with more prominence of local flavors in art, culture and cuisine and probably in Akbar’s time there was a wide paradigm shift may be because of Akbar’s tolerance towards Hindu and other religions. His passion for knowledge and art attracts many Hindu Kings who later constitute the nine courtiers of Akbar or navratan or nine gems in his court. His proximity and affinity towards Hindu Kings might have influenced the shahi khansama to dish out some vegetarian delicacies soaked in the flavour of Royal Mughlai cuisine and thus the “navratan korma” might have born rechristened after Akbar’s nine courtiers or nine gems.

Korma are made the same way following the traditions of balti or dum pukht style of cooking whereby the meat (like this rich and delicious Lamb Korma) , vegetables, very much an Indian adaptation or Paneer Korma are first braised in high heat and then let them simmer in rich gravy enclosed in sealed pots over a slow fire.

Centuries later, this kind of slow cooking has eventually give rise to new genre of dishes which followed the aromas of erstwhile rich legacy of Mughlai cuisine with few changes influenced by the time and the culture. Case in point is this Paneer Mughlai.

Navratan korma necessarily may not means nine different vegetables but nine different ingredients each contributing towards the richness and flavor of the dish. This dish goes extremely well with kulcha , naan or you can try this out with sheermal too.

Navratan korma from the court of mughals

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

45 mins

 

Navratan korma or mix vegetable in rich creamy sauce with cashews, almonds and raisins. This is no onion no garlic recipe.

Author: Sukanya Ghosh

Cuisine: Indian

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• Vegetables : 1 cup all cut into small cubes
• I prefer potatoes, carrots, green beans, cauliflower florets over capsicum and green peas. Corn will be nice too.
• Paneer : ½ cup cubed
• Pineapple : ½ cup cubed
• Dry fruits : ½ cup A mix of raisins, almonds and walnuts
• Cashew nut paste : 2 tbsp
• Pomegranates seeds : 1 tbsp
• Tomato puree : 1 tbsp
• Ground spice mix : 1 tbsp ( roast a bay leaf, few cardamoms, cinnamon stick, mace, cloves and nutmeg, ground them to a fine spice mix)
• Mawa or milk solids : ½ cup
• Milk : 1 cup
• Cream : 1 tbsp
• Ginger paste : 1 tbsp
• Butter / ghee : 1 tbsp
• Salt to taste

Instructions

1. Warm the butter in a pan, and add the ground spice mix. Saute for few seconds and add the paneer in it. Roast it lightly, and take them out. Keep aside.
2. Add the vegetables and braised them in butter over a high heat till they absorb little brown hue.
3. Lower the heat and add ginger paste, saute and next add the tomato paste or puree. Let them sweat over a slow heat for few minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add the cumin and red chilli powder and saute for couple of more minutes.
5. Add the cashew nut paste and cook on slow heat for 5 minutes. Check the salt and seasonings.
6. Next add the pineapples and dry fruit mix and mawa or milk solids. Saute for few more minutes on low heat.
7. Add the milk and try to keep the temperature below curdling.
8. Simmer on low heat for another couple of minutes or till the vegetables become tender or cooked through.
9. Add the fried cubes of paneer, mix them well and finish it with cream.
10. Sprinkle some pomegranate seeds and garnish with cilantro leaves.
11. Serve the navratan korma over a bed of white rice or pulao or with kulcha and naan.

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Enjoy and have a great day

Sukanya