Friday, March 28, 2008

Korma Recipe -- My way!

I am not Indian, but I cook a lot of Indian food. I learned a few recipes from cookbooks and a lot of technique from my Indian Mother in-law (very sweet and patient woman). If you are vegetarian and need more variety, try out a few Indian recipes. Don't base you understanding of Indian cooking by the restaurants, there is a lot more to it (however, you can get the following recipe at most North Indian restaurants in the US & Canada).
Also note, if you have trouble with some of the Indian spices, cooking it yourself, puts you in control. For example, my husband gets heartburn from garam masala (mixture of spices), so I either cut it down or leave it out. When I use it, I make sure to have chai (tea) with cinnamon, cardamom and milk ready to go as we eat. I read somewhere cinnamon prevents heartburn and it seems to work.
One more point, if I may, Indian cooking, will not break you food budget or your diet. I would be skinny, if I stayed away from chocolate and cookies.


Ingredients:

  • 3 tbsp - Ghee (clarified butter) or Vegetable oil
  • 3-5 - Tomatoes depending tomato consistency and size**(make sure to read the note)
  • 2 - Grated onions
  • 1/2 inch -chopped ginger (or paste)
  • 1tsp - cumin seeds
  • 2 - Garlic cloves chopped
  • 1 tsp - Turmeric Powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp - Red chili powder
  • 1 tsp - Coriander powder
  • 2 tsp - Garam Masala Powder (not curry powder - you can find this online, in some natural food stores or better yet at an Indian grocery)
  • 1/2-1 cup - Milk / water
  • 1/2 cup - sour cream or yogurt
  • 1/4 cup - grounded cashews
  • Salt To Taste
  • 3 cups - Boiled vegetables (mixture of 4 or more of the following vegetables -potatoes, carrots, green peas, green beans, cauliflower, green peppers, cabbage, butternut squash)
  • 2 tbs -cilantro for garnish

How to make:
  1. Heat ghee in a large sauce pan
  2. Saute onions, ginger, cumin, turmeric, chili, coriander powder and garam masala on med-high heat until cumin is brown and onions are transparent.
  3. Add tomatoes and garlic and cover with lid and stir occasionally until tomatoes are thoroughly a paste.**
  4. Lower heat to med-low and gradually add about 1/2 of milk or water to make gravy. Add more if needed.
  5. Stir in sour cream or yogurt and grounded cashews and simmer for 2 minutes
  6. Add salt and boiled vegetables. Stir making sure the vegetables are covered in gravy
  7. Simmer on low heat for 20 minutes or more with lid on. Stir occasionally.
  8. Garnish with cilantro
  9. Serve with rice and chapatis


**You will find a lot of Indian recipes have you puree the tomatoes to make a sauce or use canned tomato sauce, its much quicker,
but it takes away from the flavor. If you have time then make the tomato sauce as in the above recipe. I do however, keep a 6oz can of tomato sauce on hand for just in case the gravy doesn't make enough. Or if you discover, after add the water (or milk), the tomatoes don't quite make a gravy, then add the can before adding boiled vegetables. If you use Italian (plum) tomatoes (best choice) make sure to use at least 5.

Some good resources & blogs:
  1. FoodieView Blog
  2. Indian Food Facts - Know Your Food Today

9 comments:

Momma Val said...

Oooh! Thank you so much. I am not a vegetarian but am eating more and more like one. I love ethnic foods and am looking for all kinds of vegetarian recipes that are interesting and healthy. I have not attempted indian yet but have been cooking a little middle eastern, moroccan and now my Persian friend is sending me some of her recipes. I will have to try to make the Korma soon. We love indian food but haven't found any fabulous indian restaurants around here. Thanks again!

JENN said...

I hear you about finding a good Indian restaurant. Actually, since we moved 2 yrs ago, we haven't found a decent restaurant in the area period. So, our home cooking has really improved. We also love all ethnic foods as well. The area cooking I would love to learn is Ethiopian. I miss the local Ethiopian restaurant's vegetarian dish in our old stomping grounds. Oh, I got to figure that dish out!

Momma Val said...

Hey have any good falafel recipes? I tried one the other day for baked falafel to avoid all the grease, yuck it was terrible. We found the boxed mix but I would like to make from scratch. Looking for a really good recipe.

JENN said...

Actually, I do. I'll send it to you and/or maybe post it. I haven't tried baking them, so I don't know how they will turn out. I have, on the other hand, semi-fried them and put them in the oven to bake off some of the oil. I have 2 other recipes I will send you, that are in the same line.

Jennifer said...

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Indian food! Yum! Do you know the name of the dish that has lentil flour in yogurt? I think that is what it was...I had it once and loved it.

JENN said...

Jennifer, can you describe the dish more? What color and consistancy? Do you know what part of India the cook was from?

The first Indian dish I learned was from a friend, many years ago, and it was a gravy made with spices, graham flour and yogurt. Yellowish and you can serve it plain over rice. You can also add vegetables and/meat too it. Does this sound like the dish you had?

Jennifer said...

lol, all I remember is plain yogurt with little balls of chickpea flour...not a very good description! I'll see what gogle comes up with...

Anonymous said...

I too love Indian food! I cook some recipes and my wife and I love to go to a local authentic Indian restaurant here where we live. Thanks for the great recipe!

JENN said...

Actually Jennifer, that description helped a lot. I like Kadi too, even though I haven't made it yet. Here's a link to a recipe (don't know if it is good, but easy to understand): http://homecooking.about.com/library/archive/blv121.htm

Besan Flour - chic pea flour.