This Vegan Royal Navratan Korma is luxuriously creamy, full of complex spice flavors, and is surprisingly easy to make! This fragrant and flavorful Indian curry is vegan, oil-free, and layered with fresh vegetables, fruit, and nuts. A curry so lavish that it tastes like it came straight from a royal kitchen!
What Is Navratan Korma?
Navratan Korma originated in the royal kitchens of the Mughal Empire in Northern India, named after the the nine courtiers (jewels) of Emperor Akbar. Navaratna is a Sanskrit word that literally translates to nine jewels: nav means nine and ratan means jewel. The nine “jewels” in in Navratan Korma are the variety of vegetables, fruits, and nuts.
Tips for success
- Don’t over-toast the spices
When toasting the cardamom, cloves, coriander, and cinnamon, don’t walk away from the stove! Toasting will only take a minute, just until the spices become fragrant. Burnt spices will make the korma bitter, so if that happens, toss and start again. - Not a fan of pineapple in savory dishes?
Navratan Korma is traditionally savory but also slightly sweet, often with pineapple. If you prefer a purely savory curry, simply leave it out. - Use vegetables you already have on hand
Feel free to mix up the vegetable variety however you’d like! Other great options are:- cauliflower
- green beans
- corn
- sugar snap peas
- carrots
- bell peppers
- Ground spices do expire
Ground spices lose potency after about 3 months. They’re still safe to eat, but they make dishes taste flat. Whole spices last longer and taste fresher when ground at home. - No whole spices? Use these substitutions
- ¼ tsp cardamom powder
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ⅛ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground coriander
*If toasting ground spices, use low heat and stir often to avoid scorching.
You may also skip toasting altogether.
Creamy without the cream
Navratan korma is a creamy, fragrant dish that’s traditionally made with ghee and cream or sometimes coconut milk. I try to avoid coconut milk because of the incredibly high saturated fat content. Instead, I blend soaked cashews with the onion-tomato mixture and water. The result: silky, luscious creaminess with no dairy or coconut.
Spice for life
Spices are important for flavoring up dishes, but there’s so much more to them than simply making food taste better! Spices have phytonutrients that provide powerful health benefits including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-viral, and anti-bacterial properties as well as being overall mood-boosting. Here are some fun facts about the spices used in this delicious, creamy curry:
Spices bring flavor, but they also add phytonutrients with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-viral benefits. Here’s a quick look at the spices in this curry:
- Turmeric: Contains curcumin, linked to improved brain health, reduced inflammation, and protection against certain cancers. Don’t forget to pair turmeric with black pepper; the piperine in black pepper increases absorption of curcumin by 2,000%!
- Black Pepper: Helps absorb curcumin and has its own anti-inflammatory benefits.
- Cloves are the most antioxidant-rich food by weight.
- Ginger has been found to help reduce migraines.
- Cinnamon is packed with powerful antioxidants.
- Cayenne pepper may help boost fat burning and (although it may seem counterintuitive), may also help with irritable bowel syndrome and chronic indigestion.
Vegan Royal Navratan Korma
Equipment
- 1 High Speed Blender
- 2 Large pots
Ingredients
Toasted Spices
- 1 green cardamon pod
- 6 whole cloves
- ½ tsp coriander seeds
- 1 cinnamon stick or ½ tsp ground and add later with other spices
Creamy Curry
- 1 medium-sized yellow onion, medium dice, divided
- 4 large tomatoes, diced about 2 ½-3 cups
- 6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 2" ginger, minced
- 1 cup raw cashews
- ¼ tsp allspice
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 2 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp turmeric
- ¼-¾ tsp cayenne or chilli powder (Indian chilli powder, not chili powder)
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 ¼ cup water divided
Sautéed vegetables + fruit (*See notes below for other veggie options)
- 1 large golden potato cut into 1" cubes
- ¼ cup water
- 2 cups broccoli cut into medium-sized bites
- 2 cups eggplant cut into 1" cubes
- 1 cup frozen peas
- ¾ cup pineapple cubed, fresh or canned
- ½-¾ tsp salt
- ⅓ cup raisins
Rice
- 2 cups basmati rice, dry
- 4 cups water
Garnish
- chopped cilantro
- chopped cashews
Instructions
- Prep everything first. Measure out spices, chop the vegetables, and gather your ingredients before you start cooking. This curry comes together quickly once you begin.
- Toast the whole spices. Place the cardamom pod, whole cloves, coriander seeds, and cinnamon stick in a large dry pot over medium heat. "Toast" spices 1-2 minutes, tossing occasionally, until fragrant. Don't let it scorch; burnt spices will make the korma bitter.
- Build the creamy base. Add half of the diced onion, tomatoes, garlic, ginger, cashews, ¼ cup water, and the ground spices: allspice, turmeric, garam masala, paprika, cayenne, and black pepper. Cover and cook for about 15 minutes, until the onions and cashews are very soft. Add a splash of water if the pan gets too dry.
- Blend the sauce. Remove the cinnamon stick and set aside and allow the mixture to cool slightly. Transfer to a high-speed blender with 1 cup water and blend until smooth. Don't forget to remove the cinnamon stick!
- Cook the vegetables. In the same pot, add ¼ cup water and the cubed potatoes. Cover and cook on medium heat until they begin to soften. Add the remaining diced onion, broccoli, and eggplant, and continue cooking until all vegetables are tender.
- Combine everything. Pour the creamy blended sauce back into the pot. Stir in the peas, pineapple, salt, and return the same cinnamon stick to the pot. Simmer for at least 15 minutes, or until heated through and flavors meld. Add any more salt or spice to taste.
- Cook the rice. Meanwhile, cook 2 cups basmati rice according to package directions.
- Serving. Stir in ½ cup raisins. Serve Navratan Korma over basmati rice and garnish with chopped cilantro and cashews. Enjoy!
Notes
- cauliflower
- green beans
- corn
- sugar snap peas
- carrots
- bell peppers
Did you enjoy this Navratan Korma? I’d love to hear about it! Leave me a comment below! 🙂
Wowie ! This was yummy ! I liked the curry , full of flavor . I really enjoyed the creamy texture .
I’m so glad you enjoyed this curry, David! This is one of my favorites; so flavorful and healthy! I appreciate you taking the time to leave feedback! 🙂
Loved this dish! The curry flavor with the vegetables, potatoe and spices was amazing!
Yay! I’m so glad you loved it!!
This dish is really delicious! The cooking process is smooth and comes together easily. I will definitely add this to my rotation.
So glad you enjoyed this curry and are adding it to your rotation! 🙂
Delicious creamy curry without the cream. Love it!
I love it too! For many years I thought the only way to make a vegan curry creamy was with coconut milk, but not so! Using nuts (or seeds) is so much healthier and gives curries such a beautiful flavor and texture!