Navratna Kurma

Prep Time : 15 mins
Cooking Time : 25 mins

Ingredients :

Nine main ingredients (Navratnas):


Potato - 1 large, cut into cubes
Cauliflower - 1/2 medium, cut into medium pieces
Carrots - 2 large, cut into cubes
Beans - about a cup, cut into medium pieces
Pineapple - 1/4 cup, cut into cubes
Paneer - 1/2 cup
Raisins - 2 tbsp
Almonds + Walnuts - 3 tbsp, chopped

Other ingredients:

Onion - 1 medium, finely chopped
Cashews - 2 tbsp
Green Chillies - as per taste, Chopped [ I used 4]
Jeera/ Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Ground black pepper - 1/2 tsp or as per your taste
Oil - 1 tbsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Ginger & Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Heavy cream - 3 tbsp
Saffron - 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste

Whole spices :

Cardamon - 2 pieces
Cloves - 2 pieces
Bay Leaves - 1 medium
Cinnamon Stick - one half inch stick

For garnishing :

Pomegranate seeds
Chopped coriander

Procedure :

Soak Saffron in 2 tsp water.

Boil all the vegetables till they get cooked. Do not pressure cook the vegetables as they might get mashed.

In another vessel, add water and let it boil. Once it starts boiling add the cashews and onions and cook till the cashews get tender. This should take approx 5-6 minutes. Once tender, cool and grind the cashew and onions into a smooth paste.

Heat oil in a large pan [on medium heat ], and saute the raisins, paneer, walnuts and cashews separately.
In the same pan when the oil is hot add the cumin seeds and whole spices. Stir for few seconds and add the ginger-garlic paste, giving it a quick stir, add the cashew-onion paste, green chillies cumin powder, coriander powder  and about 1/4 cups of water. Stir and cook this mixture on low heat till the oil oozes out.
Now add in about 1/2 cup of water slowly while stirring and boil the gravy till it gets a sauce-like consistency.
Add the nine main ingredients (i.e. the four vegetables, pineapple, paneer, raisins and almonds and walnuts). Mix them with the gravy slowly. Once mixed add the cream, salt , soaked saffron and pepper.
Mix and cook on slow flame for 15 mins. Remove from heat and garnish with pomegranate seeds and Coriander.

Serve hot with Naan or chapathis.