Mastering Navratan Korma: Step-by-Step Recipe Guide for the Perfect Navratan Curry

Navratan Korma (Navratan Curry) is a very popular dish that is often ordered at Indian restaurants. I have wonderful memories of eating out with my family in India and this is one dish we would always order along with Paneer Makhani. I love the creaminess, slight sweetness, and variety of vegetables/fruits/nuts in this dish. It may look and sound intimidating but with this easy step-by-step recipe, you can make restaurant-style Navratan Korma at home in no time. 

In this recipe article, we delve into the delightful world of Navratan Korma, a dish that perfectly encapsulates the opulence and richness of Indian cuisine. Translated as “nine-gem curry,” Navratan Korma is a vegetarian masterpiece that harmoniously combines an array of colorful vegetables, aromatic spices, and creamy sauces.

What is Navratan Korma

Navratan Korma is a rich, creamy, and flavorful Indian dish made with a mix of nine different vegetables, nuts, and fruits. The name “Navratan” means “nine gems” and refers to the nine ingredients that make up the dish. The exact ingredients can vary depending on the recipe and the chef but typically include vegetables like peas, carrots, beans, cauliflower, and potatoes, as well as fruits like pineapple and raisins, and nuts like cashews and almonds.

The vegetables and fruits are cooked together in a creamy sauce made from a blend of spices, onions, nuts, and cream. Navratan Korma is usually served with rice or naan bread and is a popular vegetarian dish in India and around the world. It is known for its complex and flavorful taste and is often considered a special occasion dish.

One thing that distinguishes the Navratan Korma gravy for me is the absence of tomatoes. Most North Indian curries are made with tomatoes and onions but this Korma gravy is made with a mix of onions, nuts, and spices. The final gravy is yellow from the addition of turmeric (haldi) and not red like a lot of North Indian gravies. 

Ingredients used to make Navratan Korma

Ingredients needed for the Onion/cashew paste

• 1 large yellow Onion (about 1 lb)
• 12-15 raw cashews
• 1-inch piece of ginger
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
• 1 green chili

All other ingredients needed to make Navratan Korma

• ½ cup medium diced carrots
• 1/2 cup medium diced green beans
• ½ cup medium diced red pepper
• ½ cup frozen green peas
• ½  cup 1/2 inch cube potatoes
• ½ cup medium cauliflower florets
• 2 tablespoons oil or ghee, divided
• 1 bay leaf
• ¼  teaspoon haldi
• ½  teaspoon red chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon ground jeera powder
• ½ teaspoon garam masala
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• ¼ cup pineapple pieces (fresh or tinned)
• 7-8 cashews
• 7-8 golden raisins

How to make Restaurant-style Navratan Korma at home

Follow this step-by-step guide to make Navratan Korma recipe:

1. Soak poppy seeds and cashews in ½ cup hot water for 30 minutes. Blend it along with the other paste ingredients using the soaking water. It should be blended smoothly.
2. In a large non-stick pan or Dutch oven heat 1 tablespoon of oil. Once heated add the bay leaves and the blended onion/cashew paste. Cook on medium heat stirring occasionally to prevent burning.  Cook for 7-8 minutes till the sauce thickens a bit and loses its raw smell. 
3. Now add salt and the dry spices- turmeric, red chili powder, coriander/cumin powder.  Stir and cook for a minute.
4. Now add carrots, potatoes, green beans, and cauliflower along with 2 cups of water. Stir to combine. Cover and cook for 5-6 minutes. Check with a fork, the potatoes should be almost tender. 
5. Add the remaining vegetables – frozen peas and red peppers. Cook for 3-4 minutes uncovered. 
6. While the vegetables are cooking in a very small saucepan heat the other 1 tablespoon oil. When heated add the cashews and golden raisins. Cook till the cashews get some color and the raisins plump up. 
7. Add the cashews and raisins to the vegetable gravy. Add heavy cream and garam masala and cook for a minute. 
8. Turn off the flame and add pineapple pieces. Serve hot with naan or parathas. 

Recipe tips to make the best Navratan Korma recipe

To help you create the best Navratan Korma recipe, here are some valuable tips to keep in mind:

• Use whatever vegetables/fruits/nuts to have on hand and like. Some other good choices would be paneer pieces, green pepper, baby corn, apples, and almonds.  And of course, it’s called “Nav” (nine) “ratan” (jewels) Korma, but you can certainly use lesser ingredients to make the korma dish. 
• It is important to soak the poppy seeds in hot water or they will not blend properly. 
• The recipe calls for 2 cups of water, but you may need to add a bit or less depending on how thick or thin you like your gravy vegetables. 
• The turmeric (haldi) gives the korma gravy a yellow tinge. If you would like white gravy, you can omit the haldi from the recipe. 
• Pineapple pieces should be added to the hot gravy just before serving to avoid splitting.  If you are making the gravy earlier in the day and re-heating later to serve, it is best to add pineapple later when serving. 

How to serve and store leftover Navratan Korma

This dish goes wonderfully well with Indian Parathas, Naan, or Tandoori Roti.  If you don’t want to make it from scratch at home, there are some great frozen options available at the Indian stores. Trader Joe’s frozen naan is one of our family favorites. 

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave.  The gravy thickens over time, so you may need to add a little bit of water before reheating.  Try and put the pineapple pieces right before serving.  

FAQs – Navaratan Korma

Other Restaurant- Style North Indian dishes to try at home

Hasselback Dum Aloo

Paneer Makhani

Malai Kofta

Hasselback Dum Aloo

Try this recipe

Paneer Makhani

Try this recipe

Malai Kofta

Try this recipe

Recipe Card – Navratan Korma

Navratan Korma Recipe

Discover the delightful flavors of Navratan Korma, a vegetarian curry that combines colorful vegetables, creamy sauces, and aromatic spices.

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Recipe by Divya Jhaveri

0 from 0 votes

Course: MainCuisine: IndianDifficulty: Medium

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

Ingredients

• Ingredients for Onion/Cashew paste

• 1 large yellow onion (about 1 lb)

• 12-15 raw cashews

• 1 piece piece of ginger

• 2 small green chilies (or according to heat tolerance)

• 1 tablespoon Poppy Seed

• All other ingredients

• 1/2 cup medium diced carrots

• 1/2 cup medium diced green beans

• 1/2 cup medium diced Red pepper

• 1/2 cup Frozen Peas

• 1/2 cup peeled and cubed potatoes

• 1/2 cup medium cauliflower florets

• 2 tablespoons oil or ghee, divided

• 1 bay leaf

• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)

• 1/2 teaspoon Red Chili powder

• 2 teaspoons ground coriander powder (dhaniya)

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin powder (jeera)

• 1/2 teaspoon Garam Masala

• 1/4 cup Heavy Cream

• 1/4 cup small pineapples pieces (fresh or canned)

• 7-8 raw cashews

• 7-8 Golden raisins

Method

• Soak poppy seeds and cashews in ½ cup hot water for 30 minutes. Blend it along with the other paste ingredients using the soaking water. It should be blended smoothly.
• In a large non-stick pan or Dutch oven heat 1 tablespoon oil. Once heated add the bay leaves and the blended onion/cashew paste. Cook on medium heat stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Cook for 7-8 minutes till the sauce thickens a bit and loses its raw smell.
• Now add salt and the dry spices- turmeric, red chili powder, coriander/cumin powder. Stir and cook for a minute.
• Now add carrots, potatoes, green beans, and cauliflower along with 2 cups of water. Stir to combine. Cover and cook for 5-6 minutes. Check with a fork, the potatoes should be almost tender.
• Add the remaining vegetables- frozen peas and red peppers. Cook for 3-4 minutes uncovered.
• While the vegetables are cooking in a very small saucepan heat the other 1 tablespoon oil. When heated add the cashews and golden raisins. Cook till the cashews get some color and the raisins plump up.
• Add the cashews and raisins to the vegetable gravy. Add heavy cream and garam masala and cook for a minute.
• Turn off the flame and add pineapple pieces. Serve hot with naan or parathas.

Recipe Video

Tips

• Use whatever vegetables/fruits/nuts to have on hand and like. Some other good choices would be paneer pieces, green pepper, baby corn, apples, and almonds.  And of course, it’s called “Nav” (nine) “ratan” (jewels) Korma, but you can certainly use lesser ingredients to make the korma dish. 
• It is important to soak the poppy seeds in hot water or they will not blend properly. 
• The recipe calls for 2 cups of water, but you may need to add a bit or less depending on how thick or thin you like your gravy vegetables. 
• The turmeric (haldi) gives the korma gravy a yellow tinge.  If you would like white gravy, you can omit the haldi from the recipe. 
• Pineapple pieces should be added to the hot gravy just before serving to avoid splitting.  If you are making the gravy earlier in the day and re-heating later to serve, it is best to add pineapple later when serving.