Nutty Beans & Chickpea Korma
Kormas are stews made with the meat or legumes or vegetables cooked with spices, nuts, dried fruit and yogurt and slow cooked to make this delicious stew. Korma typically refers to a gravy made from browned onions, yogurt and a paste of soaked almonds or other nuts or nut flours. There are many different kormas from various parts of India. South Indian kormas use coconut milk or yogurt, and are lighter. Nut butters or nut flours are added for an extra layer of flavours.
Ingredients
For the cashews and raisins
2 tablespoon ghee
3 tablespoon cashews
1 tablespoon raisins
2 Tablespoon chopped dates
For the korma
5 tablespoons ghee
2 cloves
2 medium bay leaves
2 inch cinnamon stick
3 cups finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons ginger-garlic paste
1 hot green chillies (depending on spice requirement)
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 tablespoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons paprika or chilli powder (depending on spice requirement)
3 tablespoon tomato paste
½ cup chopped cilantro
10 curry leaves
1/3 cup chopped mint
1/3 cup yoghurt
1 cup vegetable stock or more if required
1 teaspoon salt or salt to taste
1 can white beans (cannelloni /butter beans )
1 can chickpeas
3 tablespoons lemon juice
4 tablespoons almond flour or toasted cashews blended into a paste
Instructions
Toast the cashews, dates and raisins separately till golden, in the ghee and keep aside.
Method
Heat the same skillet over medium heat and add the 4 tablespoons ghee. Add the cloves, cinnamon stick, and bay leaves to the warmed oil (so the whole spices don’t burn). Add in the curry leaves and the chopped onions and a bit of salt. Cook the onions till golden and caramelised.
Add the green chilies and ginger-garlic paste
Next, add all of the ground spices, tomato paste. Mix everything well and cook until the tomato paste is well mixed and roasted to a deep shade. Add the cilantro, mint, yogurt. Taste & add salt if required. Add stock and bring the mixture to a simmer.( Add a little more stock if you want the gravy to be runnier). Add the almond flour or cashew paste.
Mix in the beans and chickpeas, cover and simmer on low for 6 to 8 minutes. Once done, add half the cashews and raisins. Bring the mixture back to a quick boil, leave covered and switch off the heat.
Garnish with the remaining toasted cashews and raisins, and a drizzle of beaten yogurt, chopped cilantro, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Serve with rice or with any kind of bread. The korma always tastes better the next day.
Please remember to add water at any point if the korma gets dry. Use splashes of water to maintain consistency of the gravy.
