Kurma is a rich and flavorful side-dish that accompanies roti/bread very nicely. It can also be had with cooked rice or idlis. It is flavorful and easy to
prepare. There are so many many variations of kurma and vegetable-gravy
dishes, and this is just one of them.
Ingredients:
Ingredients:
- Vegetables of your choice. The usual combination is - carrots, beans, potatoes, cauliflower, peas, bell pepper, corn (baby corn/shelled corn) etc. - about 3-4 cups when they are finely diced/sliced
- 1 large onion/2 small onions - sliced or finely diced
- 2-3 green chillies
- a small piece of ginger
- 3-4 cloves of garlic, finely minced
- 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder.
- ½ teaspoon of chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 2 teaspoons of garam masala (optional)
- 1 bay leaf,
- 2-3 whole cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4 green cardamoms (with the seeds)
- 2 tablespoons of poppy seeds (soaked in lukewarm water for 30 minutes)
- 3 tablespoons of grated coconut
- 5 cashews
- Yogurt - 1 cup
- 2 tablespoons of tomato ketchup (Maggie Ketchup will be ideal; this is my addition, so it’s optional to add)
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil/ vegetable oil
- Cilantro/coriander leaves for garnishing
- Heat oil in a pan along with bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cloves, and cardamom, so the flavors seep into the oil. When the spices sizzle, add ginger and fry for a few seconds.
- Add the diced onions and fry on medium heat. Saute the onions till it begins to slightly brown. Add the minced garlic and continue stirring/frying for about 30 seconds.
- To this, add tumeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder, and garam masala and stir well. Let the spices coat the onions well.
- Instead of adding tomatoes, I add 2 tablespoons of Maggie Ketchup (or regular Ketchup). I find that this imparts a rich, yet subtle flavor of spices. Stir the ketchup with the spices and onions on medium heat, till the ketchup begins to bubble around the edges.
- Now, add the cut vegetables and saute/stir well. It’s better if the vegetables are finely diced, because it aids in cooking. Add salt, a cup or two of water, cover the pan with a lid and let the vegetables simmer and cook on medium heat.
- When the vegetables are almost cooked, add a cup of yogurt and stir well. Continue cooking.
- Meanwhile, prepare a fresh ground paste by grinding the coconut grating, soaked poppy seeds (without the water), green chillies and cashews. Add a little bit of water to grind this paste. This gravy is supposed to thicken the kurma. So, don’t make it too runny.
- When the vegetables are cooked, add the prepared paste. Mix well, and let the kurma simmer for 10-15 minutes on low heat. The kurma will thicken, and the flavors of the paste will infuse well.
- Taste the kurma for seasonings. If you like the spice/salt levels, switch off the heat, else adjust the flavors to your taste. Serve kurma with a small heap of fresh cilantro/coriander leaves.
Silly of me to force it into a tiny dish - the gravy component isn't all that visible |
U know what - poppy seeds are banned over here!!! As a result, many of the gravies where I need to use poppy seed to thicken it up, turns out watery. I knw I could use ground cashew or some starch like boiled potatoes or flour as a substitute, but cashews are too fatty and starch alters the texture of the - so am at a loss really...
ReplyDeleteBanned! Haha :). Sorry, can't help laughing. Oh, the middle-east :). I am surprised they haven't banned coffee yet - it's a drug too according to many people ;). Not me!
ReplyDeletetrue, there is little substitute to poppy seeds. More than the texture, I feel it contributes a lot to the flavor. I sometimes add cream/milk/yogurt to thicken gravies. Maybe one of those would help?