Garden vegetables simmered in a fresh coconut-cashew gravy with mild sweet spices, a rich, cooling festival dish from South Indian satvik kitchens.
Lunch · 20 min prep · 25 min cook · serves 4 Newly added
Ingredients
- ¾ cup coconut (fresh grated)
- 10 cashews
- 1 tsp poppy seeds , optional
- 2 tbsp ghee
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 cardamom pods
- 2 cloves
- 1 inch piece cinnamon stick
- 1 tbsp ginger (fresh) , grated
- 1 green chili , optional
- 1 carrot , diced
- 8 beans (green) , cut into 1-inch pieces
- ½ cup peas (green)
- 1 cup water
- to taste rock salt
- ¼ tsp garam masala
Preparation
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Soak the cashews and poppy seeds in warm water for 15 minutes.
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Blend the coconut, cashews, poppy seeds, ginger and chili with a little water into a smooth paste.
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Heat the ghee and sizzle the whole spices for 30 seconds.
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Add the vegetables and sauté 3–4 minutes, then pour in the water, cover, and cook until just tender, about 8 minutes.
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Stir in the coconut paste and salt; simmer gently 5–6 minutes until the gravy thickens and no longer tastes raw.
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Finish with garam masala and serve with pulao or phulka.
In the tradition
Korma in its satvik form skips onion, garlic and even tomato entirely: the body of the gravy comes from fresh coconut and nuts ground to silk. That makes it cooling and nourishing, a festival dish for autumn and winter that soothes pitta while giving vāta the unctuousness it craves. Kapha does best with a modest helping.
Sources & further reading
- Ayurvedic Healing Cuisine , David Frawley
- Bhāvaprakāśa Nighaṇṭu (Āmrādiphala/Kṛtānna section, coconut described as sweet, cooling and strengthening)
Classical citations mark where a tradition is drawn on; modern books are shared as further reading, not as prescriptions.