Navratan Korma (“nine gems”) with nine different vegetables, fruit and nuts, from the ancient Mughlai Empire, that will change your mind about boring vegetable curries. Don’t overcook the vegetables like in many of the Fijian curries I have seen. Losing its texture and crunchiness also loses its nutritional value and much needed dietary fibre, soft vegetables aren’t as healthy.
--Fijian Food Safari
Serves 4
Ingredients: 1 tbsp Butter (or ghee)
1 Large onion, fine chopped
1” Piece of ginger
4 Garlic cloves (or use 1 tsp ginger garlic paste)
1 Tomato, quartered and pureed (or tinned)
3 Green chillies 10 Cashew nuts, grind to paste
10 Raisins, soaked in warm water, drained and ground to a paste
1 tsp Tomato paste (or use another pureed tomato)
1 cup Milk or Cream or Yoghurt
2 cups Mixed fresh vegetables, chopped different shapes, precooked 50%
Toasted almonds or nuts for garnish
Salt to taste
The Spice Powder
2 tsp Ground cloves, cardamom + cinnamon, equal amounts
1/2 tsp Red chilli powder
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder (Haldi)
1 tsp Coriander powder (dhaniya)
1/2 tsp Cumin (Jeera)
Method
Fry the onion, ginger & garlic, until translucent but don’t brown
Add the chilli, cashew nut paste & raisin paste, continue to fry for 2 mins
Add the spice powder and continue frying into a thick paste, add a little water if necessary
Add the tomato paste, milk/cream/yoghurt – combine well, bring to simmering boil
Add cooked vegetables, cook until just tender – not overcooked!
Serve with rice & roti
--Fijian Food Safari
Serves 4
Ingredients: 1 tbsp Butter (or ghee)
1 Large onion, fine chopped
1” Piece of ginger
4 Garlic cloves (or use 1 tsp ginger garlic paste)
1 Tomato, quartered and pureed (or tinned)
3 Green chillies 10 Cashew nuts, grind to paste
10 Raisins, soaked in warm water, drained and ground to a paste
1 tsp Tomato paste (or use another pureed tomato)
1 cup Milk or Cream or Yoghurt
2 cups Mixed fresh vegetables, chopped different shapes, precooked 50%
Toasted almonds or nuts for garnish
Salt to taste
The Spice Powder
2 tsp Ground cloves, cardamom + cinnamon, equal amounts
1/2 tsp Red chilli powder
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder (Haldi)
1 tsp Coriander powder (dhaniya)
1/2 tsp Cumin (Jeera)
Method
Fry the onion, ginger & garlic, until translucent but don’t brown
Add the chilli, cashew nut paste & raisin paste, continue to fry for 2 mins
Add the spice powder and continue frying into a thick paste, add a little water if necessary
Add the tomato paste, milk/cream/yoghurt – combine well, bring to simmering boil
Add cooked vegetables, cook until just tender – not overcooked!
Serve with rice & roti
