This Restaurant-Style Navratan Korma is a mildly spiced, slightly sweet, and creamy Indian Mughlai curry. The name Navratan (meaning "nine gems") comes from the nine different veggies, fruits, and nuts used in the dish. This easy Instant Pot Navratan Korma comes together in under 30 minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknights.
Jump to:
What is Navratan Korma?
Navrathan means nine gems. Korma, alternatively known as "kurma," "khorma," or "qorma," is a dish originating from Central Asian culinary traditions.
This is one of the popular Indian curries available in restaurants. You might see a few variations in the nine items used by restaurants or other recipes for navratan korma curry on the internet. Still, I usually stick to Carrots, Potatoes, Beans, Green Peas, Cauliflower, Pineapple, Raisins, Cashews, and Paneer.
Today, I am sharing the Instant Pot Pressure Cooker and stovetop pot methods for making this navratan vegetable korma.
Check out my other favorite healthy vegetable korma recipes like beetroot kurma, south indian style vegetable kurma, and bottle gourd kurma made in Instant Pot.
Ingredients
- Vegetables & Fruits: I used carrots, cauliflower, potatoes, green beans, green peas, onions and pineapple chunks.
- Paneer: I used homemade paneer. You can saute or air-fry them before adding them to the curry.
- Ginger and garlic: roughly chopped.
- Nuts: Cashews and raisins.
- Spices: Bay leaf, cumin seeds, red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder, and kasuri methi (dried fenugreek powder).
- Cream: I used heavy cream in this recipe. But feel free to add coconut cream or cashew cream.
How to Make the Navratan Korma in Instant Pot
Firstly, add 2 medium onions (about 1.5 cups), 10-12 cashew nuts, 3 garlic cloves, and 1-inch ginger to the blender. Blend to a smooth paste without adding any water. Set aside.
Press SAUTE on Instant Pot. Add 2 tablespoons oil, and once it's hot, add ¼ cup cashews, ¼ cup raisins, and ¼ cup pineapple chunks. Saute for 2 minutes. Once the cashews are golden brown, take the cashews, raisins, and pineapple out and set them aside.
Adding pineapple is optional, so if you don't like the sweetness in the dish, skip it.
Then, add 1 bay leaf, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds and let the cumin crackle.
Next, add the onion cashew paste and saute for 4-5 minutes or until the onion mixture turns light brown. Make sure the raw smell of the onions goes away.
Then, add the following vegetables:
- 1 cup carrots (cut into ½-inch pieces)
- 1 cup cauliflower (florets)
- ½ cup green beans (cut into ½-inch pieces)
- 1 cup potato (cut into ½-inch pieces)
- ½ cup green peas (frozen)
- 1 cup paneer cubes
Add ½ teaspoon red chili powder, ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder, 1.5 cups water, and combine well.
Furthermore, close the lid on the pot, set the pot to MANUAL/PRESSURE COOK (High Pressure), and set the timer to 2 minutes.
Once the pot beeps, Do a QUICK RELEASE (QR)
Then add the fried cashews, raisins, pineapple, ¼ cup heavy cream (cashew cream or coconut cream), 1 tablespoon crushed Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves), ½ teaspoon garam masala, and stir well.
Lastly, adjust consistency at this stage. For example, if the curry is thick, add more water, milk, or cream.
Instant Pot Navratan Korma is ready, serve hot with pooris, chapatis, roti, and parathas.
Stovetop Pot Method
Also, you can still make the Stovetop pot method for those of you who do not have an Instant Pot. Instructions are below.
- Follow the same instructions as the Instant pot. Cook covered on medium-high flame for 8-10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir 2-3 times in between to avoid burning.
- Note: When you are sauteeing onion-cashew paste, cook until the raw smell disappears and the oil oozes out.
- Finally, add the fried cashews, raisins, pineapple, cream, kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves), and garam masala, and stir well.
What to Serve with Navratan Korma?
Serve Navrathan korma with naan, poori, chapati, paratha, basmati rice, ghee rice, or jeera rice.
Storage Suggestions
- Refrigerate: Store the leftover navratan kurma in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.
- Freeze: You can store it in a freezer-safe airtight container for up to one month in the freezer.
- Reheat: Reheat the curry on the stovetop or microwave until heated through. If frozen, defrost for a few hours on the kitchen top before reheating.
Expert Tips
- To maintain the white color of the gravy, add green chilies while grinding, or use ground white pepper for a spicy kick.
- Pineapple is added for sweetness to the gravy; you can skip it. I used canned pineapple chunks in this recipe.
- If your gravy has a thin consistency, don't worry. Just add 1 tablespoon of almond flour to make it thick. Or just boil for some more time till you get the desired consistency.
Variations
- You can also add nuts like almonds along with cashews and raisins for the korma.
- You can also add puree of 1 large tomato for an added depth of flavor and a slight tanginess to the gravy.
Recipe FAQs
I highly recommend making this dish using cashews while making the paste. But if you have a nut allergy, skip it or substitute with poppy seeds or melon seeds (magaz) for the cashews.
I used fresh cream in this recipe, but if you look dairy-free, then replace it with either ½ cup coconut cream or cashew cream.
You can use any veggies available in your house, some more veggies that you can mix and match to make this dish are:
broccoli
zucchini
baby corn
sweet corn
bell peppers
tofu
More Instant Pot Indian Curry Recipes
Navratan Korma Recipe - Instant Pot & Stovetop
Equipment
Ingredients
For Onion Cashew Paste:
- 2 medium onion (about 1.5 cups)
- 10-12 cashew nuts
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 inch ginger
Vegetables for Navratan Korma:
- 1 cup carrots cut into ½ inch pieces
- 1 cup cauliflower large florets
- ½ cup green beans cut into ½ inch pieces
- 1 cup potato cut into ½ inch pieces
- ½ cup green peas
Navratan Korma Gravy:
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon cumin (jeera) seeds
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
- 1.5 cups water
- salt to taste
Other Ingredients:
- 1 cup paneer cubes
- ¼ cup cashew nuts
- ¼ cup raisins
- ¼ cup pineapple chunks optional
- ¼ cup heavy cream or cashew cream or coconut cream
- 1 tablespoon kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) (optional)
Instructions
Instant Pot Method:
- Firstly, add all ingredients mentioned in the "FOR ONION CASHEW PASTE" section to a blender. Blend to a smooth paste without adding any water. Set aside.
- Press SAUTE on Instant Pot. Add oil, and once it's hot, add cashews, raisins, and pineapple chunks. Saute for 2 minutes. Once the cashews are golden brown, take the cashews, raisins, and pineapple out and set them aside.
- Adding pineapple is optional, so if you don't like the sweetness in the dish, skip it.
- Then, add the bay leaf, cumin seeds and let the cumin crackle.
- Next, add the onion cashew paste and saute for 3-4 minutes or until the onion mixture turns light brown.
- Then add the mixed vegetables.
- Add the red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, water and combine well.
- Furthermore, close the lid on the pot, set the pot to MANUAL/PRESSURE COOK (High Pressure), and the timer to 2 minutes.
- Once the pot beeps, Do a QUICK RELEASE (QR).
- Then add the fried cashews, raisins, pineapple, cream, kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves), garam masala, and stir well.
- Lastly, adjust consistency at this stage. For example, if curry is thick, add more water, milk, or cream.
- Instant Pot Navratan Korma or Vegetable Korma is ready, serve with hot with pooris, chapatis, roti & parathas.
Stovetop Pot Method:
- Follow the same instructions as the Instant pot. Cook covered on medium-high flame for 8-10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir 2-3 times in between to avoid burning.Note: When you are sauting onion-cashew paste, cook until the raw smell disappears and the oil oozes out.
- Finally add the fried cashews, raisins, pineapple, cream, kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves), garam masala, and stir well.
Notes
Tips & Variations:
- You can also add 1 large tomato while grinding onion cashew paste.
- Increase spices according to your preference. To keep white color gravy, you can add green chilies while grinding or add ground white pepper for making it spicy.
- You can also add nuts like pumpkin seed, almonds along with cashews and raisins for the korma.
- Pineapple is added for sweetness to the gravy, you can totally skip it. I have used canned pineapple chunks in this recipe.
- If your gravy has a thin consistency, don't worry just add 1 tablespoon of almond flour to make it thick. Or just boil for some more time till you get the desired consistency.
Nutrition
★ Like this recipe? FOLLOW ME on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Youtube for more quick & easy recipes.
Maggie
I got to get me one of those blenders! Mine wasn't able to make it into a fine paste but it still turned out yummy. Just more gritty. hopefully I'll be raising more Indian recipes allies in the house so I have an excuse for the blender to take up some limited kitchen space.
Bhavana Patil
Hi Maggie, thank you for trying the recipe and glad it turned out well.
Beth B
Hi! I have this in my Instant Pot as I write. Smells wonderful! However, I’m wondering about the paneer called for in the ingredients list? I don’t see it in the instructions.
Bhavana Patil
Hi Beth, so good to know.. You can add paneer along with veggies, i will update the blog with clear instructions, thanks for pointing me. Or you can also add paneer after the pressure cooking cycle. Hope this helps
Maitri Parikh
Loved your recipe! I also added tadbit Elaichi powder for that extra flavor!
Bhavana Patil
Hi Maitri ,So good to know that.Thank you for sharing it 🙂
soumya routh
hi
I went through this recipe and yet to make it. But being in full time cooking in dis lockdown with everyone at home I cn surely say its going to be great.
love the effort u have made. surely wil follow you on youtube.
kudos to ur skill nd interst in cooking.
lots of love
Soumya
bhavana
Hey, Thank you so much Soumya ? I love Cooking since my late school & early college days. Food has been the common topic between me & my husband, so I am more interested in cooking yummy food ? I am sure all of us can relate to food ? Really appreciate your lovely comment ? Happy cooking - let me know how it turns out once you cook it ?