This is my version of a Navratan Korma, which is an Indian curry dish. Navratan means nine gems and this usually refers to the vegetables, fruits, or nuts in the curry. I cut down on the fat—which is why the color is a pale orange instead of a bright yellow—, but not the the flavor and depth of this vegetarian dish.
Ingredients:
- very fresh tomatoes (enough to fill a whole sheet pan when cut)
- olive oil or wegmans basting oil
- 1/2 a head of cauliflower, cut into small florets
- 3/4 of a 16 oz. can 0f coconut milk
- 4-5 tablespoons plain, greek yogurt
- 1 zucchini, cut into cubes
- 1 squash, cut into cubes
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- salt, pepper, turmeric
- a handful carrots, chopped
- broccoli (similar amount)
- ground coriander (few pinches)
- garam masala (few pinches)
- red curry powder (few pinches) It’s spicy
- a handful of whole, unsalted cashews
- 3 small waxy potatoes
- 1/2 cup cream or milk (whatever fat content you like)
- 1 cup of peas
1. Cut the tomatoes (large-bite size) and scatter, filling an entire foiled sheet pan. Roast them on 400º for about 30 minutes with olive oil and seasonings (I used a Wegmans basting oil blend). In a blender or food processor, purée.
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2. Roast the cauliflower in the same manner, but only for about 15 minutes.
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3. Cook the tomato sauce in a pot with the coconut milk. Add the greek yogurt and stir until homogenous.
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4. Sauté the zucchini and squash in olive oil with salt, pepper, minced garlic, and two pinches of turmeric and par-cook the broccoli and carrots however you choose. I parboiled the carrots until just cooked through and used frozen broccoli. Add all these vegetables to the pot.
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5. Add the spices to the curry: turmeric, ground coriander, garam masala, and red curry powder. Salt and continue to season to taste. Add the cashews. Microwave the potatoes until fork tender and cut into bite-size pieces, adding them to the curry.
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6. Add the cream or milk . You can adjust richness by adding more coconut milk, cream, or yogurt. Although I didn’t, butter would be a good addition since most recipes call for ghee. When the consistency is perfect, cover the pot, If it reduces too much, add a bit of water.
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7. Add half of the peas. Serve over basmati rice (add the remaining peas to this). Garnish with fresh cilantro.
