Vegetable Korma
There are times when I fancy a good vegetable korma like I would a warm, loaf of home baked bread. Never mind that my recipe calls for 22 ingredients—I hope I don’t lose you here. I keep most of the items on hand and leave out what I don’t have. If I want protein, I add a store-bought roasted chicken or ground beef. But it’s easy to go paleo, gluten free, or vegan.
Korma vs. Curry
First, let’s dispel the idea that korma is an overly spicy dish. Flavorful, yes; spicy, nah. While some curries can cause the taste buds to radiate, a korma is mildly spiced. Like a favorite casserole, this Indian dish is pure comfort food adaptable to the whims of each family.
Indian Restaurant Korma
Because I live so close to House of India, I often stop for their splendid lunch buffet: inexpensive, abundant, and yummy. Kumar, the owner of HOI, makes quite a nice Korma. But some of the dishes can be soupy when put on a plate and I have a tendency to drop a bit on whatever I’m wearing. This may be an aging thing. On occasion, when my kids aren’t with me, I’ve been known to place my napkin upon my bosom rather than my lap.
I can’t duplicate Kumar’s Korma, but my version is respectable, considering I’ve only been cooking Indian dishes in recent years. I especially enjoy experimenting with the spices: cumin, coriander, cardamom, and turmeric.
My Korma is loaded with vegetables. Indian cooks call such a recipe Navratan, or nine gems.” I seldom get up to nine vegetables, but you can clean out your refrig in a hurry with this dish. Unlike some recipes, this one doesn’t call for tomatoes or tomato paste, though I find the addition of spinach a nice touch. Instead of yogurt, I prefer using canned coconut milk, regular or lite. Turmeric brings a pleasant yellowish hue to the dish, as well as a slew of health benefits.
Here’s my latest version of this creamy, nutty, mildly spiced korma. It’s especially good with Basmati rice and naan bread. When I served it recently at the farm, I added chunks of roasted chicken for a quick and flavorful shot of protein.
I refer to this recipe as Condo Korma, because I often make it for myself with enough left over for the next meal. I usually wear an apron when preparing and eating this dish.
