This Restaurant Style Navratan Korma (Vegetable korma) recipe is a mildly spiced, slightly sweet, creamy-based delicious Indian Mughlai curry and gets its name Navratan (meaning nine gems) from the nine different veggies, fruit, and nuts used in it. This easy Instant Pot Navratan Korma recipe can be made in under 30 minutes for busy weeknights.
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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.
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 Method for making this vegetable korma.
Check out my other favorite healthy vegetable korma recipes like Beetroot Kurma recipe and South Indian Style Vegetable Korma made in Instant Pot.
What other vegetables can I add in Navratan Korma?
- broccoli
- zucchini
- baby corn
- sweet corn
- bell peppers
- tofu
How to Make the Navratan Korma in Instant Pot
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 set 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 the curry is thick, add more water, milk, or cream.
Instant Pot Navratan Korma or Vegetable Korma is ready, serve hot with pooris, chapatis, roti & 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 till step 7 for the instant pot recipe in a stovetop pot/Kadai and 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.
- Authentic Navratan Korma is ready, serve hot with pooris, chapatis, roti & parathas.
What to Serve with Navratan Korma?
Serve Navrathan Korma (vegetable korma) with poori, naan, chapati, paratha, or jeera rice.
Tips & Variations for Best Korma
- You can also add 1 large tomato while grinding onion cashew paste.
- Increase spices according to your preference. To keep the white color gravy, you can add green chilies while grinding or add ground white pepper to make it spicy.
- You can also add nuts like pumpkin seed, and almonds along with cashews and raisins for the korma.
- Pineapple is added for sweetness to the gravy; you can 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 meal/flour or cornflour slurry to make it thick. Or just boil for some more time till you get the desired consistency.
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 have used fresh cream in this recipe, but if you look dairy-free, then replace it with either ½ cup coconut cream or cashew cream.
This curry can be kept in the refrigerator for up to three days in an airtight container.
More Instant Pot Curry Recipes
- Lauki Ki Sabji
- Black Eye Pea Curry (Lobia Curry)
- Chickpea Coconut Curry
- Mushroom Masala
- Potato Peas Curry
- Bottle Gourd Kurma
- Rajma Masala
If you’ve tried this easy navratan korma recipe or any other recipe on Indianveggiedelight, then don’t forget to rate the recipe. You can also follow me on Instagram and Facebook to see the latest 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 tablespoon oil
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon cumin (jeera) seeds
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala powder
- 1.5 cups water
- salt to taste
Other Ingredients:
- 1 cup paneer
- ¼ cup cashew nuts
- ¼ cup raisins
- ¼ cup pineapple chunks
- ½ cup 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 till step 7 as for the instant pot recipe in a stovetop pot/Kadai and 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 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 meal/flour or cornflour slurry to make it thick. Or just boil for some more time till you get desired consistency.
- broccoli
- zucchini
- baby corn
- sweet corn
- bell peppers
- tofu
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 ?