#28 Green Beans and Carrot Korma

A Korma is any vegetable, meat or seafood dish with a rich and creamy gravy.  It is very common to find Korma dishes in almost every Indian restaurant. The most decadent creation is the Navratan Korma which is a combination of nine vegetables and sometimes paneer (cheese cubes).  I have turned a luxurious dish into my version of a simple Korma without the cream, instead I dished up an almond based gravy to immerse the vegetables. Substituting nine vegetables for two or three and enjoying the full flavors of those veggies. You may find different versions of Korma using yogurt, milk, cream or coconut paste in addition to cashewnuts.

Ingredients:
Green Beans cut into 1 " long peces- 1 cup
Carrots cut into 1" long peices-1 cup
Onion Cubed- 1
Tomato Cubed- 1/2
Almonds- 2 Tblspn
Cinnamon Stick-1
Cloves-3
Elaichi-1
Bay Leaf-1
Ghee- 2 Tblspn
Haldi, salt to taste
Fennel(Perumjeerakam/Saunf)- 1 tspn
Giner/Garlic paste- 1 Tblspn
Green Chillies-4
Cilantro-1 cup cut

Method:
1. Toast the Almonds in a toaster oven or a skillet. Remove skin and soak in a little water.
2. Grind to a smooth paste the onions, tomato, ginger-garlic paste, green chillies, cilantro and the soaked almonds to a smooth paste.
3. Heat a deep pan and add the ghee, cinnamon stick, elaichi, cloves, fennel seeds and bay leaf. Roast until the fragrance fills the room.
4. Add the green beans and carrots with enough water, salt and haldi to cook the vegetables. Lower the fire.
5. When the vegetables are about half cooked, add the ground masala paste and cook very slowly until well cooked and gravy is thick. Serve with Rotis.