Navratan Korma

5 from 9 votes

Creamy and decadent Navratan Korma is a rich dish made with an assortment of veggies, fruits and nuts. It pairs well with naan or tandoori roti.

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A rich and creamy dish, Navratan Korma gets its name from nine ingredients/jewels (nav=nine and ratan=jewels) which are cooked together in a super creamy sauce.

The base of this curry is made with cashews, poppy seeds and is finished with cream to make it decadent.

yellow color vegetable curry in a round bowl garnished with pomegranate arils and two golden color spoons placed in the background

I am not 100% sure but from what I have read, Navratan Korma was named after the nine courtiers in King Akbar’s court.

Nav means nine and ratan means jewels, so each of the nine ingredients represented the courtiers in the king’s courtroom.

It is traditionally recommend to use 9 key ingredients in the recipe which are usually a mix of vegetables, fruits and nuts.

The combination of fruits, nuts, cream makes this a sweet curry. It has this sweet creamy taste and is not spicy at all.

So, if you prefer creamy sweet curries then this one is for you!

The base for navratan korma is made with onion, ginger, garlic, cashews and poppy seeds. Some people also add almonds and melon seeds to the base. Since, I only had cashews and poppy seeds that’s what I used.

In fact, it will also work with cashews only. So if you don’t have poppy seeds, don’t worry about it. Skip and make the recipe with cashews only.

Navratan/Nine jewels

Like I mentioned before, the recipe calls for 9 ingredients and so, here are the 9 ingredients that I have used in the recipe-

✔Potato

✔Cauliflower

✔Beans

✔Carrot

✔Green Peas

✔Cashews

✔Raisins

✔Pomegranate

✔Pineapple

As you can see, I have used a mix of veggies, nuts and fruits here.

If you don’t have any of these, they can be easily replaced.

For example, you can add paneer and pepper here (red pepper will be nice especially).

For nuts you can use walnuts or almonds in place of cashews.

Apple is also often used in navratan korma.

I do love the pineapple here and I would recommend not replacing that though. It is also one of the fruits which you will mostly find in all navratan korma recipes irrespective of how they are made.

a small plate with a tandoori roti placed on one side and a curry placed on the other side

This Navratan Korma Recipe

✔ is rich and creamy.

✔ makes a special dish for special occasions.

✔ pairs well with naan, tandoori roti or rice.

✔ flavored with cardamom, saffron.

Now, this is a rich curry and loaded with calories too. So, I make it for special occasions like when I have invited some guests over dinner or for our Diwali or Holi lunch.

What I mean to say is that it is not one of those recipes which I would make on a weekly basis.

I have fond memories of eating Navratan Korma with my mom and dad in several restaurants in and around Delhi. This dish is prepared differently in different parts of the country.

Some people add tomatoes to it, some add no onion and only cashews. So, there’s no right or wrong way of making it.

I am sharing a way in which I make it and like it. I do not use tomatoes here, the curry gets it’s slight yellow color from the saffron that is used in the recipe.

Here’s how I make it and hope you guys like it.

 

Method

1- To a large kadai or pan add chopped onion, ginger, garlic, green chili, 15-20 cashews, poppy seeds along with 3 cups (24 oz)  water.

Boil on medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes. Let it cool and blend to a smooth paste.

2- Chop all the veggies and remember to chop them small. Chop the potatoes around 1/2 inch pieces and cauliflower into small florets. These way they will cook quickly when boiled in water.

3- Meanwhile fill a pan with water and let it come to a boil. Once it starts to boil, add potato, cauliflower, carrot, beans and peas. Boil on medium heat for 10 minutes.

4- After 10 minutes, the veggies will be fork tender, you do not want them mushy or be over-cooked. Drain them using a colander and set aside.

step by step picture collage of making navratan korma

5- Meanwhile once the onions, cashews, ginger, garlic have boiled for 15 to 20 minutes, turn off the heat.

6- Let it cool down a bit and then transfer the entire mixture to a blender.

7- Blend to a smooth paste and set it aside.

8-  In a kadai/wok, heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon ghee on medium heat. Add bay leaf, cloves and cardamom. Let the spices sizzle.

step by step picture collage of making navratan korma

9- And then add the pureed onion cashew paste to it.

10- Cook the paste on low-medium heat for 5 minutes.

11- After the paste has cooked for 5 minutes, add the coriander powder, cumin and red chili powder.

12- Stir and cook for 3 more minutes and then add the salt.

step by step picture collage of making navratan korma

13- Add the sugar.

14- And water and continue to cook for 3 more minutes on low heat.

15- Stir in the veggies. Mix and cook for 1 minute.

16- Then add the cream and mix.  Cook the veggies on low heat for 3 to 4 minutes.

step by step picture collage of making navratan korma

17- Meanwhile heat 1/2 teaspoon ghee in a small pan and add golden raisins and 6-7 cashews to it and fry until the raisins plump up, set it aside.

18- Also, heat 1 tablespoon milk and then add a pinch of crushed saffron strands to it. Remove pan from heat and set aside.

19- Add the pomegranate, the fried cashews and raisins and mix.

20- Also add the prepared saffron milk.

step by step picture collage of making navratan korma

21 & 22- Mix everything together and cook for 2 more minutes. Sprinkle cardamom powder.

23- Also sprinkle some garam masala on top and then turn off the heat.

24- Let the curry cool down a bit, for 6 to 7 minutes and then add the pineapple pieces.

step by step picture collage of making navratan korma

Serve Navratan Korma warm with naan or tandoori roti.

yellow color vegetable curry served in a bowl with a golden color spoon

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Navratan Korma

5 from 9 votes
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 50 minutes
Servings: 5
Creamy and decadent Navratan Korma is a rich dish made with an assortment of veggies, fruits and nuts. It pairs well with naan or tandoori roti.

Ingredients 

  • 2 medium yellow onion or 1 large yellow onion
  • 1 inch ginger chopped
  • 4 large garlic cloves chopped
  • 1 green chili
  • 15-20 cashews
  • 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
  • 3 cups water 24 oz
  • 1 medium potato diced 1/2 inch wide pieces
  • 1 cup cauliflower florets small florets
  • 1 large carrot diced small
  • 12-14 green beans cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1/3 cup green peas frozen
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 tablespoon + 1/2 teaspoon ghee divided
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 cloves
  • 2-3 whole green cardamom
  • 1 teaspoon coriander powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon red chili powder or to taste
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 3/4 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/4 cup cream
  • 2 teaspoons golden raisins
  • 5-6 whole cashews
  • pinch saffron strands soaked in 1 tablespoon warm milk
  • 1 tablespoon pomegranate arils
  • pinch cardamom powder
  • pinch garam masala
  • 2 tablespoons chopped pineapple pieces
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Instructions 

  • To a large kadai or pan add chopped onion, ginger, garlic, green chili, 15-20 cashews, poppy seeds along with 3 cups (24 oz)  water.
    Boil on medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes.
    a kadai/wok filled with onion, cashews, ginger, garlic in water
  • Chop all the veggies and remember to chop them small. Chop the potatoes around 1/2 inch pieces and cauliflower into small florets. These way they will cook quickly when boiled in water.
    a green mat with chopped potato, cauliflower, beans, carrot placed on it
  • Meanwhile fill a pan with water and let it come to a boil. Once it starts to boil, add potato, cauliflower, carrot, beans and peas. Boil on medium heat for 10 minutes.
    After 10 minutes, the veggies will be fork tender, you do not want them mushy or be over-cooked. Drain them using a colander and set aside.
    a colander with boiled potato, cauliflower, beans, carrot and peas
  • Meanwhile once the onions, cashews, ginger, garlic have boiled for 15 to 20 minutes, turn off the heat.
    Let it cool down a bit and then transfer the entire mixture to a blender and blend to a smooth paste and set it aside.
    white smooth paste in a blender
  • In a kadai/wok, heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon ghee on medium heat. Add bay leaf, cloves and cardamom. Let the spices sizzle.
    And then add the pureed onion cashew paste to it. Cook the paste on low-medium heat for 5 minutes.
    wok with a white smooth paste with a spatula
  • After the paste has cooked for 5 minutes, add the coriander powder, cumin and red chili powder.
    ground spices on top of a white smooth batter in a wok
  • Stir and cook for 3 more minutes and then add the salt, sugar and water and continue to cook for 3 more minutes on low heat.
    1/2 teaspoon of salt being added to a smooth paste in a wok
  • Stir in the veggies. Mix and cook for 1 minute.
    Then add the cream and mix.  Cook the veggies on low heat for 3 to 4 minutes.
    assorted vegetables being added to a wok
  • Meanwhile heat 1/2 teaspoon ghee in a small pan and add golden raisins and 6-7 cashews to it and fry until the raisins plump up, set it aside.
    a small pan filled with cashews and golden raisins
  • Also, heat 1 tablespoon milk and then add a pinch of crushed saffron strands to it. Remove pan from heat and set aside.
    milk with saffron strands giving the mixture a yellow color
  • Add the pomegranate, the fried cashews and raisins and mix.
    Also add the prepared saffron milk.
    saffron milk (yellow in color) being added to a pan full of veggies in a white sauce
  • Mix everything together and cook for 2 more minutes. Sprinkle cardamom powder.
    Also sprinkle some garam masala on top and then turn off the heat.
    wok with veggies in a white color sauce and ground spice sprinkled on top
  • Let the curry cool down a bit, for 6 to 7 minutes and then add the pineapple pieces.
    Serve Navratan Korma warm with naan or tandoori roti.
    cubes of pineapple being added to a pan with veggies

Notes

  1. This curry is on the sweeter side. If you want to make it spicy, add more of red chili powder to spice it up. You can also add some extra green chilies. 

Nutrition

Calories: 198kcal, Carbohydrates: 17g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 24mg, Sodium: 532mg, Potassium: 314mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 2775IU, Vitamin C: 24mg, Calcium: 69mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
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Hi, I’m Manali!

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5 from 9 votes (1 rating without comment)

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20 Comments

  1. Are the pineapples cooked in some way or the idea is that you don’t want to cook it at all? Also wouldn’t it get sour because of the pineapples?

    1. Kurma has its origin in south India- it has a yogurt, coconut base usually. Navratan korma is more of a North Indian dish, the spices are different here and usually raisins, nuts, fruits are added to it.

  2. 5 stars
    Thank you for sharing your recipe and thoughtful, detailed notes on this dish! A lot of work goes into it but it is so delicious.

  3. 5 stars
    Tried it for lunch today as a side dish for naan. Turned out very tasty. Thanks for such a yummy recipe.

  4. 5 stars
    At this point, I don’t think Manali is capable of producing anything that isn’t completely delicious!! We have tried so many recipes and every single one leaves us impressed!!! As always, thank you for opening your kitchen to us!!!!

  5. 5 stars
    La probé y fue genial. Muchas gracias.

    I tried the recipe with fantastic results. Thanks!

      1. Thank you for sharing.sounds very tasty..would like to subscribe n save them..plse send me a link if possible..thank you…merry Christmas and a Happy New Year