Maunika Gowardhan’s vegetable korma (Navratan Korma)

Ingreadient

• 50g cashew nuts
• 110g tomatoes (use tinned tomatoes if not in season)
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 220g onion (1 largish onion), finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, ground to a paste in a pestle and mortar
• 2.5cm piece fresh ginger, ground to a paste in a pestle and mortar
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp kashmiri chilli powder
• 150g cauliflower, cut into bite-size florets
• 200g carrots, diced
• 150g potato, diced into bite-size pieces
• 2 tsp sugar
• 90g tinned pineapple, chopped, plus 100ml of the juice
• 50g frozen peas
• 70g green beans, trimmed and cut into quarters
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 tsp ground cardamom powder
• 100ml single cream

Instruction

1. Soak most of the cashew nuts in 100ml warm water for 10 minutes (leaving some aside for garnish). Whizz the tomatoes to a purée and set aside. In the same blender, add the cashews along with the soaking liquid and whizz to a paste. Set aside.
2. In a large saucepan, heat the oil over a medium heat. Add the cinnamon and, as it starts to sizzle, add the onion. Fry for 15-17 minutes until it begins to soften and change colour, and then add the garlic and ginger pastes. Fry for 1 minute. Now add the blended tomato paste and the turmeric and chilli powder. Fry for 5 minutes, stirring well, making sure the mixture doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
3. Add the cauliflower, carrots and potatoes and fry for 3-4 minutes, mixing the vegetables into the masala. Add 250ml water, season to taste with salt, add the sugar and simmer, covered, over a low heat for 12 minutes. Stir halfway through. Add the chopped pineapple, peas and the green beans. Continue to simmer with a lid on for 10 minutes. Add the blended cashew paste, pineapple juice, garam masala, ground cardamom and single cream. Stir well and simmer for 4-5 minutes. Serve warm.