Vegetable Kurma or Mix Veg Korma recipe is a popular South Indian style curry where vegetables are cooked in a creamy and aromatic gravy of yogurt, coconut, and cashew nuts-based paste and sautéed onion and tomato along with a few spices in an instant pot pressure cooker or stovetop.

This Mix Veg Korma is prepared in two different styles. In North India, this curry is prepared by adding yogurt (curd) or fresh cream, while in South India, coconut is added to make the gravy. However, I have used curd and coconut to make this curry in this recipe.
I have made this Hotel Style Vegetable Kurma recipe in an Instant Pot Pressure Cooker. Check out my other favorite healthy Beetroot Kurma & Navratan Korma recipe, which are also made in Instant Pot.
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What Is Kurma?
Kurma, alternatively known as "korma," "khorma", or "qorma", is a dish originating from Central Asian culinary traditions. Kurma is a curry made using vegetables or meat along with yogurt, coconut, spices, and nut or seed paste. Based on the regions, the ingredients used to make the kurma recipe are different.
Today, I have shown the South Indian style of making vegetable kurma, using coconut and cashew nuts as the base. In some regions, it is made by using yogurt or curd instead of coconut.
Also, check out the Indian stovetop pressure cooker recipe instructions for Mix Veg Korma below for those who do not have an Instant Pot.
How to Make Vegetable Kurma in Instant Pot
Add all ingredients mentioned in the "GRINDING" section to a blender. Add ¼ cup of water and blend to a smooth paste. Set aside.
Press SAUTE on Instant Pot. Add oil to the POT. Once POT is hot, add bay leaf, onions, and saute until onions turn light brown for 2 minutes.
Next, add chopped tomatoes and cook till they turn soft.
Add the prepared coconut-cashew paste, red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, curd (yogurt), and stir continuously for 2 minutes until the raw smell disappears.
Now add the veggies, salt, and water and combine well.
Close the Instant Pot with pressure valve to Sealing. Cook on High Pressure for 3 minutes.
Do a QUICK RELEASE (QR). Remove the lid away from you, add lime juice, and garnish with cilantro. Mix well.
Instant pot pressure cooker vegetable korma/kurma is ready, serve hot with pooris, chapatis, roti & parathas.
Indian Pressure Cooker Method
- To a blender, add all ingredients mentioned in the "GRINDING" section. Add ¼ cup of water and blend to a smooth paste. Set aside.
- Take a Pressure cooker, add oil to it. Once hot, add Bay leaf, onions, and saute until onions turn light brown for 2 minutes.
- Next, add chopped tomatoes and cook till they turn soft.
- Add the prepared coconut-cashew paste, red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, and curd (yogurt), and stir continuously for 2 minutes until the raw smell disappears.
- Now add the veggies, salt, and water and combine well.
- Close the lid, place a whistle, and cook for 1 whistle on medium flame.
- Switch off the flame and let the pressure from the cooker release naturally.
- Open the lid, add lime juice, and garnish with cilantro. Mix well.
- Vegetable Kurma is ready, serve hot with pooris, chapatis, roti & parathas.
Stovetop Pot Method
- To a blender, add all ingredients mentioned in the "GRINDING" section. Add ¼ cup of water and blend to a smooth paste. Set aside.
- Cook the vegetables in a microwave or boil them separately in a pot.
- Take a kadai, add oil to it. Once hot, add Bay leaf, onions, and saute until onions turn light brown for 2 minutes.
- Next, add chopped tomatoes and cook till they turn soft.
- Add the prepared coconut-cashew paste, red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, curd (yogurt), and Stir continuously for 2 minutes until the raw smell disappears.
- Now add the chopped veggies, salt, and water and combine well.
- Cover the Kadai with a lid, cook on medium-low heat for 15 minutes. Make sure veggies are cooked well. Stir in between. TIP you can also use pre-cooked veggies to save cooking time.
- Remove the lid, add lime juice, and garnish with cilantro. Mix well.
- Vegetable Kurma is ready, serve hot with pooris, chapatis, roti & parathas.
What to Serve with Vegetable Kurma?
Serve Vegetable Kurma/Korma recipe with poori, naan, chapati, paratha, or jeera rice.
Tips & Variations
- Vegans can skip yogurt or use vegan yogurt.
- You can use veggies of your choice. You can also use beetroot, broccoli, bell pepper, chow-chow.
- If you do not have fried gram (roasted chana dal), replace it with 1 tablespoon of cashews or poppy seeds. Cashewnuts help the gravy to be creamier and tastier.
- If you dont find whole spices, replace them with the required amount of garam masala available from grocery stores.
- Also, adjust the chilis according to the spice level.
Instant Pot Vegetable Kurma (Mix Veg Korma)
Equipment
Ingredients
For Grinding
- ½ cup grated coconut fresh or frozen
- 6-7 cashewnuts
- 1 tablespoon fried gram (roasted chana dal)
- 1 inch ginger
- 2 large garlic
- 1 green chilli
- 2 cardamom
- 2 cloves
- 1 inch cinnamon stick
- 1 teaspoon saunf (fennel)
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds or 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon jeera seeds (cumin) or ½ teaspoon of jeera (cumin) powder
- water for grinding
Other Ingredients
- 4 cups mix vegetables (carrot, beans, cauliflower, potato, peas)
- 1 cup onion finely chopped
- ½ cup tomato finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
- 1 tablespoon curd (yogurt) or vegan yogurt ,optional
- salt as per taste
- 1.5 cups water as required
- 2 tablespoon oil
- 1 tablespoon coriander leaves
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
Instructions
Instant Pot Method
- Add all ingredients mentioned in the "GRINDING" section to a blender. Add ¼ cup of water and blend to a smooth paste. Set aside.
- Press SAUTE on Instant Pot. Add oil to the POT. Once POT is hot, add bay leaf, onions, and saute until onions turn light brown for 2 minutes.
- Next, add chopped tomatoes and cook till they turn soft.
- Add the prepared coconut-cashew paste, red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, curd (yogurt), and stir continuously for 2 minutes until the raw smell disappears.
- Now add the veggies, salt, and water and combine well.
- Close the Instant Pot with pressure valve to Sealing. Cook on High Pressure for 3 minutes.
- Once the pot beeps, Do a QUICK RELEASE (QR). Remove lid away from you, add lime juice and garnish with cilantro. Mix well.
- Vegetable Kurma is ready, serve with hot with pooris, chapatis, roti & parathas.
Indian Pressure Cooker Method
- To a blender add all ingredients mentioned in the "GRINDING" section. Add ¼ cup of water and blend to a smooth paste. Set aside.
- Take a Pressure cooker, add oil to it. Once hot add Bay leaf, onions, and saute until onions turn light brown for 2 minutes.
- Next, add chopped tomatoes and cook till they turn soft.
- Add the prepared coconut-cashew paste, red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, curd (yogurt), and stir continuously for 2 minutes until the raw smell disappears.
- Now add the veggies, salt, and water and combine well.
- Close the lid, place a whistle and cook for 1 whistle on medium flame.
- Switch off the flame and let the pressure from the cooker release naturally.
- Open the lid and add lime juice and garnish with cilantro. Mix well.
- Vegetable Kurma is ready, serve with hot with pooris, chapatis, roti & parathas.
Stovetop Pot Method
- To a blender add all ingredients mentioned in the "GRINDING" section. Add ¼ cup of water and blend to a smooth paste. Set aside.
- Cook the vegetables in a microwave or boil them separately in a pot.
- Take a kadai, add oil to it. Once hot add Bay leaf, onions, and saute until onions turn light brown for 2 minutes.
- Next, add chopped tomatoes and cook till they turn soft.
- Add the prepared coconut-cashew paste, red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, curd (yogurt), and Stir continuously for 2 minutes until the raw smell disappears.
- Now add the chopped veggies, salt, and water and combine well.
- Cover the Kadai with a lid, cook on medium-low heat for 15 minutes. Make sure veggies are cooked well. Stir in between. TIP you can also use pre-cooked veggies saves cooking time.
- Remove lid, add lime juice and garnish with cilantro. Mix well.
- Vegetable Kurma is ready, serve with hot with pooris, chapatis, roti & parathas.
Notes
- Vegans can skip yogurt or use vegan yogurt.
- You can use veggies of your choice. You can also use beetroot, broccoli, bell pepper, chow-chow.
- If you do not have fried gram (roasted chana dal), replace it with 1 tablespoon of cashews or poppy seeds. Cashewnuts help the gravy to be creamier and tasty.
- If you dont find whole spices replace them with the required amount of garam masala available from grocery stores.
- Also, adjust the chilis according to the spice level.
- I have prepared this dish in my electric pressure cooker, Instant Pot DUO60 6 QT
Nutrition
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Madhuri
I tried the recipe
I put beans but with 3 mins they didn’t cook at all they were crunchy
I added 3 more mins again
Like ur recipe though! I just tried now
bhavana
Hi Madhuri ,thanks for sharing your feedback.Green beans usually cookes faster ie in 3 minutes.Are u taking about dry beans(legumes)? if yes then yeah they longer to cook.
Krith
I tried the Instant Pot version with double the ingredients and served it with peas pulao. It was a major hit! Everyone from my 68 year old father to my 5 year old daughter loved it! Most importantly, it was very easy to pull together. This one is a keeper.
bhavana
Hi KRITH ,was happy to hear it turned out to be major hit,please try my other recipes as well.
priya
ohh Great post!! That is a beautiful tart and a fantastic sounding recipe. Lovely share
bhavana
Thanks Priya for your lovely comment.