Vegetable Korma or Veg Kurma is a delicious vegan-friendly, gluten-free Indian side dish. This kurma is usually prepared with ingredients like fresh vegetables, ginger garlic paste, coconut cream, Indian spices, and herbs. Vegetable korma is a healthy, and fiber-rich curry that makes a hearty meal for any day. This vegetable korma can be made in under 30 minutes either in a pan or instant pot. And it serves as a perfect side dish for naan, jeera rice, white rice, basmati rice, parotta, roti, biryani, idli, dosa, appam, idiyappam, and similar other foods.
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What is Vegetable Korma?
Vegetable Korma is a rich, tasty, and creamy Indian-style side dish. This veg kurma is prepared with fresh veggies, Indian spices that are simmered in a coconut and nut-based paste. Particularly, the coconut and nut paste used in the Veggie kurma gives a unique flavor and taste to the dish. This kurma is one of the common side dishes served in most Indian restaurants, hotels, tiffin centers, and households of India for lunch and dinner.
The veggie korma recipe got its popularity across the globe for its rich texture, flavor, and taste. As a result, you can find this curry in the buffets and menu cards of some foreign restaurants across the world. And they serve it as a side dish for naan, basmati rice, and roti.
How to make Vegetable Korma?
This Vegetable Korma requires coconuts and cashew for making a paste. And the quantity yields to 4 people. In this section, let us learn how to make/prepare a Veggie korma recipe easily at home. The process is short and you can add your favorite veggies to make a perfect bowl of this veg kurma effortlessly at home.
To give an overall idea, the following are the steps involved in making this veg kurma.
- Preparation of coconut and nut paste
- Preparation of vegetable korma
1. Prepare coconut and nut paste
Preparation of this coconut and nut paste is the most important part of this Veggie kurma recipe. This paste gives the traditional flavor and taste to the dish. To make that, I have ground coconut, cashews, fennel seeds, and water into a fine paste. And I reserved it for later use.
The blend of cashew and coconut gives a rich flavor and taste to the dish but if want to try a nut-free version, then you could feel free to skip the cashews.
2. Prepare Vegetable Korma
To make the kurma, in a pan with medium heat I have seasoned the bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, star anise, cloves, cardamom, and green chili until they are aromatic. Then I added the onions and sautéed them until they turned soft.
Once the onions are soft, I added ginger garlic paste, chili, garam masala, coriander, turmeric powder, and salt and combine everything well. Then I sautéed the tomatoes until they turned mushy.
Following that, I added all the veggies mentioned in the recipe card below and gave a quick mix. Then poured water and closed the pan with the lid and allowed the veggies to cook for 10 minutes. Once the time passed, I opened the lid and mixed the coconut nut paste with the curry, and added water to adjust the consistency. And then I allowed the curry to boil for another 5 to 7 minutes.
Finally, I garnished the Veggie Korma with coriander leaves and switched off the heat. Then I served this delicious veg korma with basmati rice and naan.
Vegetable Korma in Instant pot
Vegetable korma can be made super quickly in an Instant Pot. To make this curry, first, grind coconut, cashews, and fennel seeds into a fine paste and reserve for later use.
Now in sauté mode, pour oil and sizzle the bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise, cardamom, and green chilies. Then add the onions and sauté until they turn soft. Following that, stir in ginger garlic paste, and spices mentioned in the recipe card below. Then add in the tomatoes and sauté until it turns mushy.
Once it is mushy, add all the vegetables and give a quick mix. Now pour water and switch the mode to pressure cook and close the lid and cook it at high pressure for 1 minute. Allow the pressure to release naturally and then open the lid. Now mix the coconut nut paste and garnish with coriander leaves. Hurray! that's it. The ultimate Instant pot vegetable korma/kurma is ready in under 15 minutes. Isn't so quick?
This Vegetable Korma is a tasty, healthy, vegan-friendly, and gluten-free dish. And I hope you will try and enjoy this dish with your family and loved ones.
Variations
This vegetable korma is one of the flavorsome Indian dishes that have a lot of variations. There is no one specific recipe or formula when it comes to this vegetable korma. To put it another way, the process of making this veg kurma differs according to the place, culture, and tradition of Indian people.
For instance, people from the northern part of India use nuts, yogurt, and onion puree to make the base for the curry. Sometimes, restaurants and hotels use fresh heavy creams to give a silky finish to this veg kurma. While in South India, it is mostly of coconut and nut paste which makes the curry thick and rich. And this version of veg kurma is a popular side dish served for parotta, chapati, biryani, idli, dosa, and idiyappam in South India.
You may also try this without using any coconut, nuts, or yogurt base. Yes, you can sauté the onions and tomatoes with Indian spices and blend them to make a paste. You could use this paste to make a tasty and thick Veggie korma. However, I would suggest you stick with the coconut and nut paste to enjoy an authentic flavor and taste. And use the onion-tomato blend as the workaround, if the coconuts and nuts are not handy or if it's not on your preferred ingredient list.
I have prepared this Veggie korma in a pan, but you could also prepare it in an instant pot to make the job easier.
Serving Suggestions
This Vegetable kurma can be a perfect side dish for naan, basmati rice, white rice, biryani, parotta, chapati, idli, dosa, poori, idiyappam, and appam. And it also tastes great with Matar Pulao, Vegetable Biryani, Mushroom Biryani, Appam, and similar other dishes.
You could also find similar recipes below and more at Veg Curries and Vegan recipes.
Looking for easy breakfast recipes to kick start your busy mornings? Then you could also check this collection of Indian Vegetarian Breakfast Recipes and Indian Vegetarian Lunch Recipes to enjoy with your family and loved ones.
Storage Suggestions
Vegetable korma can be stored in a refrigerator for up to 3 days in a closed container. Always reheat only the required quantity to make the best use of it. Even though I always prefer using it fresh, this can also be kept in the freezer for up to 1 month. And the best way to store it is in individual containers or zip lock bags and reheat the portion whenever it is required.
Vegetable Korma Recipe video
I have also shared a detailed video of the vegetable korma recipe below that I believe it will help you to prepare this flavorful gravy at home. For a quick look, you can take a look at this recipe in story format.
Vegetable Korma (Veggie Kurma)
Ingredients
For Coconut Nut Paste
- ¼ cup Coconut, shredded
- ¼ cup Cashew Nut
- 1 tsp Fennel Seeds
- ½ cup Water
For Vegetable Korma
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 3 Cinnamon Stick, small
- 1 Star Anise
- 4 Cloves
- 5 Cardamom
- 3 Green Chili, sliced
- 2 Onion, chopped
- 2 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
- 1 tsp Garam Masala
- 1 tsp Chili Powder
- 2 tsp Coriander Powder
- ½ tsp Turmeric Powder
- Salt, as needed
- 2 Tomato, chopped
- ¼ cup Carrot, chopped
- ¼ cup Green Beans, chopped
- ¼ cup Green Peas
- ¼ cup Potato, chopped
- 1½ cup Water
- ¼ cup Coriander Leaves
Instructions
To Prepare Coconut and Nut Paste
- In a blender, add coconut, cashew nuts, fennel seeds, and water
- Grind all the ingredients to a fine paste and reserve for later use
To Prepare Vegetable Kurma | Veg Korma
- In a pan with medium heat, pour oil and add bay leaves, cinnamon stick, star anise, cloves, cardamom, green chili and saute until it turns aromatic
- Add onions and saute until it turns soft
- Now add ginger garlic paste, garam masala, chili, coriander, turmeric powder, salt and combine everything well
- Add tomatoes and saute until it turns mushy
- Add carrots, green beans, green peas, potato and give a nice mix
- Now add water and give a quick mix
- Close the pan with the lid and cook for 10 minutes
- Open the lid and add the coconut nut paste and give a good mix. Adjust the water consistency if the vegetable mixture is too thick
- Allow it to boil for 5 to 7 minutes
- Finally, garnish with coriander leaves and the Vegetable Korma/Kurma is ready for us to taste and enjoy
To Serve
- Serve this delicious Indian Hotel Style Vegetable Kurma with naan, parotta, roti, chapati, jeera rice, biryani, poori, idiyappam, idli, dosa and similar dishes
Recipe Video
Chef's Notes and Tips
- The coconut and nut paste used in this Vegetable Korma gives a rich, creamy and nice thickness to the curry, so I recommend using it to achieve the same
- Even though cashews used gives a rich taste and flavor to the korma, it can be skipped if it's not handy or not in your preferred ingredient list
- I have used carrots, green beans, peas, and potatoes for this kurma but you can also use other vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, and similar others to make it even healthier
- I have used a pan to make this vegetable korma, and it can also be made in an instant pot to speed up the process
- This Vegetable Kurma is a perfect Vegan-friendly dish that pairs as a perfect side dish for naan, basmati rice, roti, parotta, chapati, poori, idli, dosa, idiyappam, and similar other Indian foods
Nutrition Info
Disclaimer: We’re not nutrition experts. Nutritional info is estimated and should be used as a guide. For precise details, consult a professional.
FAQ
Vegetable korma or kurma is a delicious side dish that has its origin in the Indian subcontinent. it is mainly prepared with fresh veggies, Indian spices, yogurt, cashew, and coconut paste. It is one of the popular dishes served in restaurants, hotels, and households of India.
Yes, you could make this kurma without coconut by just skipping it while making the paste, and the rest of the procedure remains the same as mentioned in the recipe card above.
The recipe shared here in the post is vegan-friendly and gluten-free vegetable kurma.
Yes, you can store the leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in a closed container.
You can freeze the vegetable korma in the freezer for up to a month in individual zip lock bags or containers.
This Indian vegetable korma/kurma is a perfect side dish for naan, basmati rice, biryani, parotta, chapati, poori, idli, dosa, idiyappam, and similar other Indian foods.
I really hope you enjoyed the recipe that I have shared here and I would love to hear from you on how it turned out for you. Please let me know.
If you have any other questions, feel free to post them in the comment section below and I will try to get back to you as soon as possible.
Happy Cooking!
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