Spicy Vegetable Korma with Chana Dal in a Cashew Coconut Tomato Sauce

Regular readers will know that I like to experiment with various types of Indian cooking. I use different spice mixtures and ingredients, and also enjoy trying dishes from various regions of India. This vegetable korma is a fusion of Northern and Southern cooking styles. Starting with a South Indian dish in mind based on the idea of coconut blended with cumin, I then shifted to ingredients common to North Indian dishes and so made the paste with cashews, coriander and chilies along with the coconut. The dish ended up tempered South Indian style.

I wanted a legume component, so chana dal got incorporated into the korma, and I added some hot dried red chilies because I wanted more heat. This is one of the tastiest kormas I have ever made and a fine way to get your vegetables on the table.

Serve with rice for a healthy and balanced vegetarian meal.

Spicy Vegetable Korma with Chana Dal in a Cashew Coconut Tomato Sauce

Recipe by Lisa Turner Cuisine: Indian Published on May 18, 2009 Mixed vegetable, coconut and chana dal korma simmered in a spicy tomato sauce Preparation: 20 minutes Cooking time: 50 minutes Print this recipe Korma: 2/3 cup dried chana dal or yellow split peas, soaked in water for at least 3 hours 2 tablespoons ghee, butter or oil 1 small onion, finely chopped 2 tomatoes, finely chopped 1 large potato, diced 1 large carrot, diced 2/3 cup fresh or frozen green peas 1 teaspoon ground turmeric 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt handful of dried curry leaves (optional) Paste: 1/2 cup dried grated unsweetened coconut 1/4 cup raw cashews 1 teaspoon coriander seeds 1 teaspoons cumin seeds 3 to 4 dried whole red chilies 2 fresh green chilies, seeded and chopped 1-inch piece fresh ginger, chopped Tadka (tempering): 1 tablespoon oil 1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds 2 teapoons split skinned urad dal, rinsed pinch or two of asafetida 2 to 3 dried whole red chilies Instructions: Begin by making the paste. Soak the coconut in hot water for 10 to 15 minutes, and drain. Meanwhile, soak the cashews in warm water for 10 to 15 minutes, and drain. While the coconut and cashews are soaking, toast the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, and dried red chilies over medium heat in an unoiled saucepan or skillet for a few minutes until the seeds darken a few shades and become fragrant. Transfer the coconut, cashews, and roasted seeds and dried chilies to a food processor or blender. Add the green chilies and ginger. Process until you have a fairly smooth paste. Add a bit of water if too thick. Make the korma by heating the ghee, butter or oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. When hot, toss in the onion and sauté for 5 minutes until translucent. Add the tomatoes and cook for another 5 minutes or until they thicken into a sauce-like consistency. Drain the chana dal or yellow split peas and add to the saucepan. Pour in 2 1/4 cups of water. Simmer for 10 minutes or until the chana dal or split peas are just tender. Add the potato, carrots, peas (if fresh), turmeric and cayenne. Continue to simmer for 15 minutes until the vegetables are tender. You can add more water to achieve your desired consistency. Now add the paste and the sea salt. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for another 10 to 15 minutes. Add the curry leaves and the peas (if using frozen) a few minutes before the end of the cooking time. To prepare the tadka, heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. When hot, toss in the mustard seeds, urad dal, asafetida and dried red chilies. Stir for 60 seconds or until the mustard seeds begin to pop and the urad dal turns a reddish colour. Immediately pour into the korma, stir, and cover and let sit for 5 minutes to let the flavours blend. Makes 6 servings

If you like this recipe, you might also enjoy:
Curried Indian Vegetable Soup
Chopped Cabbage with a Crumbly Chana Dal Sauce
Scalloped Potatoes with Coconut Milk and Mushrooms