Winter Recipe: Vegetable Korma Curry
January 18, 2013
2 cups of water or vegetable stock
4 cups of seasonal vegetables cut into bite sized pieces (carrots, pumpkin, potato, parsnips)
2 tablespoons of ghee (do buy some or make your own and it will taste so much better!)
1 tablespoon of Korma powder
2 table spoons of ground almonds
2 table spoons of finely chopped leek
1 tea spoon of chick pea flour (or I used Dove’s gluten free flour, Cornflour is also fine to thicken)
1/4 tea spoon asafoetida (to aid digestion, available from supermarkets now)
2 dates chopped
A cup or more of organic coconut milk
2 table spoons of chopped coriander
Season with salt (preferable Himalayan Rock salt) and pepper
Bring the water or stock to a boil and add vegetables. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender (15 minutes or so). Drain the vegetables, reserving the cooking liquid. Heat the ghee on a low heat and add korma powder and stir until fragrant (3 minutes) Add the almonds and leek and cook for 3 more minutes, stirring. Stir in the flour and asafoetida and cook for 2 more minutes. Pour in the reserved cooking liquid, chopped dates and coconut milk. Whisk until smooth and simmer for 2 minutes. Stir in the coriander and season to taste. Add the vegetables, stir to coat with sauce and serve with rice and chappatis. You can also add 1-2 tablespoons of cashew nut butter, stirring thoroughly until blended.
To make Korma powder,
Put the following in an electric blender (or grind separately in a mortar. Store in a jam jar and use within 6 weeks, or use half the amounts of spices to ensure freshness. I have included the Ayurvedic therapeutic effects of each of the spices to illustrate that food is medicine.
- 1 table spoon whole coriander seeds (good for all, digestive, reduces fever and increases urine)
- 1 table spoon whole cumin seed (good for all, kindles the gastric fire and improves absorption in the intestines, relieves gas and king of digestive herbs)
- 1 table spoon whole fennel seeds (digestive and increases urine, helps get rid of intestinal worms)
- 1 table spoon whole mustard seeds (digestive but also heals the bronchial system, good with pain and in getting rid of intestinal worms)
- 1 table spoon whole fenugreek seeds (digestive and aids circulation, lowers blood sugar and increases breast milk, also balances female hormones)
- 1 table spoon whole cardamom seeds (digestive, improves the flavour of food, good for respiratory problems)
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds (constipative property so good in diarrhoea, also contracts vessels and is relaxing due to trace elements of opiates)
- 1 table spoon ground cinnamon (digestive, improves circulation, blood thinning properties)
- 1 table spoon ground ginger (kindle digestive fire and improve digestion, increases circulation, absorption and assimilation of food, good remedy for cough, cold and breathlessness)
- 1 table spoon turmeric (The best medicine in Ayurveda! Helps digestion, maintains intestinal flora, reduces gas, has tonic properties and is an antibiotic, useful i skin problems, stress. The list goes on and on…)
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves (stimulates digestion and acts on sinus and bronchial congestion)