Malabar Style Vegetable Korma A delicious mildly spiced korma.

Best with pulao / parathas / rotis Serves: 3 Ingredients For coconut paste: cup (5 6 tablespoon) grated coconut 2 green chillies 6 cashew nuts 2 teaspoon poppy seeds (khus khus) cup water (50 ml) Soak cashew nuts and khus khus in cup water for one hour and make a smooth paste (along with soaked water) with grated coconut and green chillies in a small mixer bowl. Keep aside. Soaking of cashew nuts and khus khus will make a creamy gravy. Spice powder (3 options): teaspoon clove powder teaspoon cinnamon powder teaspoon cardamom powder teaspoon aniseed powder (perumjeerakapodi) Heat an iron kadai and gently dry roast above ingredients on a low heat until fragrant (2 -3 minutes). Or gently dry roast whole spice 4 cloves, 1 cinnamon stick, 3 cardamom and 1 teaspoon aniseed and make a fine powder or add teaspoon normal garam masala powder. Other ingredients 1 tablespoon oil 1 onion, finely sliced

2 tablespoon ginger garlic paste (add less ginger when making the paste or make a paste of teaspoon chopped ginger and 8 garlic cloves in a small mixer bowl) 1 tomato, chopped teaspoon turmeric powder Spice powder 3 small size carrot, cubed (1/4 inch cubes) 8 French beans, cubed (1/4 inch cubes) 1 potato, cubed (1/4 inch cubes) (or any other vegetables of your choice like cauliflower, green peas) 1 cup water / 200 ml teaspoon salt Coconut cashew nut khus khus paste Extra 50 ml water 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves Method Heat oil in a pan / kadai. Add sliced onion and fry until golden color on a medium to low heat. Add ginger garlic paste and fry on a low heat for 2 3 minutes until the raw smell goes. Add tomato and fry for 2 minute. Add turmeric powder and fry on a low heat for 1 2 minutes. Add spice powder (or garam masala powder) and mix well. Add cubed vegetables, 1 cup / 200 ml water and salt to taste. Mix all the ingredients well. Cover with a tight lid and cook on a medium to low heat for 12 -1 5 minutes until done / vegetables almost cooked.

At this stage, add coconut paste, adjust the consistency of the gravy with extra 50 ml / cup water if required (but not more than 50 ml. It wont taste good if the gravy is too thin) and adjust salt to taste if required. Mix well nicely and cook on a low heat for 7 minutes. Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves and serve with rotis / pulao / ghee rice / poori