How to Make Vegetable Kurma in a Pressure Cooker

Shwetha Bhat is passionate about food and cooking. She loves to experiment in the kitchen and share her recipes.

Vegetable kurma (also called korma), is a very popular Indian gravy dish that is loved for its unique aroma and taste. Made with a mixture of vegetables, spices, and cashew nuts, it is typically served with poori, chapati, roti, dosa, pulao, or ghee rice. It is quick and easy to make, and it is healthy and nutritious, as well.

Vegetable kurma can be prepared in many different ways, and the recipes often vary from one region to another. Depending on the region, it may be prepared with coconut paste, coconut milk, curd, or other ingredients. Here, I am sharing a recipe without coconut.

I prepared this kurma in a pressure cooker as it saves time. It can be also be prepared in a pot or a pan.

Cook Time

Ingredients

• 2-3 medium sized potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 carrot, cubed
• 1/2 cup green peas, fresh or frozen
• 1 inch ginger, chopped
• 2-3 medium-sized tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1-2 green chilies, or as per taste
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds (saunf)
• 1 teaspoon poppy seeds (kuskus)
• 5-6 cashew nuts
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1/2 inch cinnamon
• 2-3 cloves
• 1-2 pods cardamom
• Pinch of asafoetida (hing)
• Salt to taste
• 1-2 teaspoon cooking oil or ghee
• 1 bunch fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped
• 1 cup water

Instructions

1. Prepare all vegetables by washing and chopping or cubing. Immerse potatoes in a bowl of water to prevent discoloration.
2. If you are using fresh peas, shell them and set aside.
3. In a blender or mixer jar, add cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, ginger, green chilies, poppy seeds, cashew nuts, tomatoes, turmeric powder, red chili powder, and salt. Grind to a fine paste using a small amount of water. Set aside.
4. In a cooker or pan, heat oil or ghee. Then add asafoetida and ground paste. Saute for 2-3 minutes until it smells good.
5. Now add chopped vegetables. Saute and mix properly.
6. Add 1 cup of water and salt according to taste. Close the lid and take about 2-3 whistles.
7. Let the pressure release by itself, open the lid, and add finely chopped fresh coriander leaves.
8. Your delicious vegetable kurma is ready to serve with chapati, roti, poori, or ghee rice.

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Additional Tips

1. You can add other vegetables, as well, like cauliflower, beans, etc.
2. I skipped using coconut here, but if you want, you can blend it with ingredients used to make a paste. You can replace poppy seeds with coconut, which will give a different flavor.
3. I used a pressure cooker to prepare this kurma, but you can also make it in a pan or a pot.
4. If you are not using a pressure cooker, you can use parboiled vegetables. This will reduce the time required to prepare the kurma.
5. Increase or decrease the number of green chilies depending on your spice preference.
6. You can add more water if you want a thinner gravy.
7. If you feel you added too much water and your gravy is too thin, you can simmer the gravy for longer in order to thicken it.