Neighbours’ Korma (Vegetable Korma)
Hyderabad today has restaurants and
eateries of every size and description. But in the 70s and early 80s, there
were only a few iconic places where most people we knew went. Udupi, Punjabi
restaurants like Havmor and Apollo, restaurants with a la carte menus such as
Mohini, Peacock and the restaurant in Hotel Siddarth.
That is what I saw from my perspective as a
young person suitably limited by exposure, budget and recalcitrance.
The first time we ate at Hotel Siddarth is
distinctly etched in my memory. We had ordered puri bhaji, expecting huge puris
and potato masala of the masala dosa variety. Instead, the puris came out with
this korma.
After our initial disappointment at this
wasting of perfect puris on this spicy dish, we began to explore the plethora
of flavours and textures.
Here was a dish that had the known flavours
of khus khus and coconut of Aai’s domesticated rassa made exotic by the
addition of cream. The familiar spectrum of spices had a mystery element. We
later identified it as fennel. This notched the korma's to our hitherto largely
Brahminical palate.
The cherry on the top, literally and
figuratively, was the surprise collocation of the chickpeas, the pineapple and
glacé cherries. Another first for us, as it balanced the base and the bizarre,
the sweet and the sour.
This was like something come from a
neighbour’s home.
At this juncture, I must tell you about
this family meme of “neighbours’ food”. Food varies in flavours and techniques
from home to home. That’s why one likes those surprise offerings from
neighbours' homes. Arriving in little bowls and plates covered with paper
napkins or doilies they used to brighten up a Sunday.
In my home, whatever my husband cooks
always tastes like neighbours’ food, tasty, spicy. Mind you, his dishes always have more oil and
spice and chillies than I would ever dare use, and more onions in one dish than
I would use in a whole week.
But it’s most welcome because I haven’t had
to make it.
I often make this korma. Skipping the cherries,
and whilst keeping the distinctive features of the korma viz the poppy seeds,
coconut, fennel, chickpeas and pineapple, I do what comes to my mind and hand
and don’t have a set recipe for it.
That’s the reason why it always tastes like
neighbours’ korma.
Here’s what I did this time.
Neighbours’ Korma (Vegetable Korma)
¾ cup chickpeas, soaked for 5-6 hours
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed (I
don’t peel them as we get washed potatoes here)
1 medium carrot, cubed
10-12 fresh green beans, ends trimmed and
cut
2 cups cauliflower florets
½ cup frozen peas
1 cup paneer cubes
½ cup fresh pineapple chunks (tinned will
also do)
¾ can chopped tomatoes (or 1 cup blanched
tomatoes, chopped)
½ cup creamy yoghurt, beaten
1 tbsp ginger/garlic paste
½ tsp turmeric
1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 tbsp coriander powder
2 tbsp coriander, chopped for garnish
Salt to taste
Sugar/sweetener (optional)
2-3 tbsp fresh cream
For
the tadka
2-3 green cardamoms
1 black cardamom
2-3 cloves
1inch cinnamon
1-2 Bay leaves
½ tsp shahi jeera
1-2 petals mace
10-12 curry leaves
1-2 green chillies, slit
2 tblsp oil
1 tsp ghee
For the paste
2 large onions, sliced and fried (reserve
some for garnishing)
¼ cup fresh grated coconut
¾ tsp jeera
¾ tsp saunf
1 tsp khus khus, lightly toasted
8- 10 cashew nuts or almonds
2 tbsp melon seeds
Method
Grind the ingredients into a smooth paste
with some water.
Place the chickpeas in a saucepan and add
3-4 cups of water and a little salt and bring it to a boil. Remove any scum
that arises and when the chickpeas are half done, add the cubed potatoes,
carrots, beans and the cauliflower and frozen peas in the order of their
cooking time. Keep the chickpeas and vegetables al dente.
Heat a heavy bottomed pan and heat oil and
ghee. Add all the whole garam masalas and allow them to crackle. Add the
ginger, garlic paste, curry leaves and the green chilies and sauté for a
minute. Then add the turmeric and red chili powder and the powdered garam
masala. Add the beaten curd and cook for a minute. Then add the chopped
tomatoes and cook till the colour changes. Then add the coconut, cashew, onion
and melon seed paste and cook till the oil starts leaving the sides.
Add the cooked vegetables and chickpeas
along with the stock. Add the paneer cubes and pineapple pieces. Check and
adjust the salt. Add the sugar/sweetener if using. Avoid if you are using
canned pineapple.
Add water if required, based on how thick
you want it. Cover and simmer for a few
minutes till everything comes together. Add the cream and gently mix it in.
Garnish with chopped coriander and browned
onions.
Serve with pooris, parathas or jeera
rice.
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