Navratan Korma

Navratan Korma is a delicious curry (Mughlai cuisine) with nine ingredients including vegetables, nuts and paneer / cottage cheese (hence the name navratan / nine jewels). You can add vegetables of your choice. This is generally served as a side dish with hot Naans / Kulchas / Paranthas.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups vegetables (potatoes, carrots, green peas, french beans, cauliflower and capsicum)
• 1 cup paneer cubes
• 1/4 cup dry fruits (cashew nuts, raisins)
• 3 medium sized tomatoes, chopped
• 6 tbsp white oil
• 1 & 1/2 tsp ginger paste
• 1 & 1/2 tsp garlic paste
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp coriander/ dhania powder
• 1 tsp cumin seeds / jeera powder
• 1& 1/2 tsp red chilli powder (to taste)
• 2 tsp garam masala powder
• 2 tsp salt (to taste)
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tbsp whipped cream
• 2 bunch coriander leaves, chopped

Procedure:

1. Heat oil in a non-stick kadhai / frying pan and slightly saut� the raisins and cashew nuts on on medium heat. Drain & keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan. Reduce flame, add ginger-garlic paste and saut� a little. Add chopped tomatoes and stir fry for 2 mins.
3. Add turmeric powder, salt, sugar, red chilli powder, coriander & cumin seeds powder. Mix well and stir for another 2 mins. (Ensure that the masala doesn't stick to the bottom of the kadhai / frying pan).
4. Add the vegetables, dry fruits and mix well with the fried masala.
5. Lower the heat. Add milk while stirring constantly. Increase heat and bring it to boil.
6. Now simmer and cook for 10 mins / until the vegetables are tender and the gravy becomes thick.
7. Add paneer and cook for 2 mins (so that the paneer absorbs the gravy). Add a little water, if required.
8. Transfer navratan korma into a serving bowl. Add the whipped cream and sprinkle garam masala. Garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot.

This recipe is going to WYF -Side dishes by EC of Simple Indian Food and FIC-Red & Green event, hosted by Neha of Tasty Recipes, an event started by Sunshinemom of Tongue Ticklers.

Saag Aloo Mattar (Peas & Potato in Spinach Gravy)

Thought of making Saag-Aloo (a nutritious dish made of spinach & potatoes) dish for tonight�s dinner. While preparing I found out there was no coriander leaves (which I generally use for spinach gravy recipes) but a handful bunch of mint leaves were available. Well wary at first of the taste, substituted coriander leaves with the mint leaves and voila...the final dish was also delicious with the typical smell of mint.
A few bunch of mint leaves were extra so I prepared mint, cucumber & yogurt raita and instead of plain roti made pudina parantha to have a whole course "minty" menu for tonight's dinner.

Ingredients:

• 2-3 bunch spinach, roughly chopped
• 4 medium sized potatoes, peeled & diced
• 1 cup shelled peas
• 2 bunch mint leaves
• 2 large onions, finely chopped / grated
• 1 tsp ginger paste
• 1 tsp garlic paste
• 1 large tomato, finely chopped
• 2 tsp coriander powder
• � tsp garam masala powder
• � tsp red chili powder
• 1-2 green chilli (as per taste)
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp oil
• a few mint leaves, for garnishing
• 1 tbsp roasted cumin seeds / jeera powder

Procedure:

1. Wash the palak thoroughly. Pressure cook the palak in a little water. Add 2 garlic cloves and a little salt (spinach do not absorb salt, so be careful while adding salt to water).
2. Give 2 whistles, remove from fire and let the cooker come down to normal temperature.
3. Wash & peel the potatoes and dice to small cubes. Wash the shelled peas.
4. Boil water in a pan, add a little salt and steam the diced potatoes and peas till tender but not too mushy. Remove from flame, drain the boiled vegetables and keep aside.
5. Meanwhile put the pressure cooked palak (ensure the palak is cooled thoroughly), 2 bunch of mint leaves and green chilli in a mixie and blend to form a smooth puree.
6. Take a non stick pan, heat oil and saute the chopped / grated onions till light brown. Add the ginger & garlic paste and fry for 2 mins.
7. Add the chopped tomatoes and spinach puree and cook till the tomatoes are mixed thoroughly and the palak starts to bubble.
8. Reduce the flame and add the boiled potato cubes & peas, salt, red chili powder & garam masala and mix well. Cook for 3-4 minutes.
9. Transfer in a serving dish. Garnish with mint leaves and roasted jeera powder and serve hot with roti / paranthas.