Pakistani Baked Vegetable Korma with Crispy Chile Topping

About This Recipe

Vegetable korma is normally a stovetop dish, a mild, creamy curry built from a cashew-yogurt gravy that coats potato, carrot, cauliflower and peas. This baked version takes the same korma base but finishes it in the oven so the top forms a slightly caramelized layer, then adds a topping of oil-crisped green chile for anyone who wants to cut through the sauce's richness with a sharp, spicy bite. The cashew paste is the backbone of a good korma — raw cashews are soaked and blended smooth with a little water until they turn into a thick, pourable cream that replaces the need for heavy dairy while still giving the sauce body. Vegetables are parboiled first so they finish cooking gently in the oven without turning mushy, and the sauce is poured over just before baking so it thickens slightly and clings rather than pooling thin at the bottom of the dish. This is a comforting vegetarian main for a dinner table that also has meat dishes, mild enough for kids but interesting enough with the crispy chile topping for anyone who wants heat.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 0.5 cupraw cashews(soaked 30 minutes)
• 1 cupwarm water
• 3 tbspvegetable oil(divided)
• 1onion(sliced)
• 1 tbspginger-garlic paste
• 0.5 cupplain yogurt(whisked)
• 1 tspcoriander powder
• 0.5 tspgaram masala
• 0.25 tspturmeric
• 1.5 tspsalt
• 2 cupscauliflower florets(parboiled)
• 2carrots(sliced, parboiled)
• 1potato(diced, parboiled)
• 0.5 cupgreen peas
• 5green chiles(sliced, for topping)

Instructions

1. 1

   Blend the cashew paste

   Blend soaked cashews with warm water until completely smooth. Set aside.

2. 2

   Build the base

   Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a pan over medium heat. Cook onion until golden, 8 minutes, add ginger-garlic paste and cook 1 minute.

3. 3

   Add spices and yogurt

   Reduce heat to low, add whisked yogurt, coriander, garam masala, turmeric and salt, stirring constantly to prevent curdling. Cook 3 minutes.

4. 4

   Add cashew cream

   Stir in the cashew paste and simmer gently 5 minutes until thickened. Preheat oven to 200C (400F).

5. 5

   Assemble and bake

   Combine parboiled vegetables and peas in a baking dish, pour the korma sauce over, and stir to coat. Bake uncovered 20 minutes until bubbling and lightly caramelized on top.

6. 6

   Fry the chile topping

   While the bake finishes, heat remaining oil and fry green chiles 1 to 2 minutes until blistered. Scatter over the baked korma just before serving.

Variations

• •

  Add paneer cubes in the last 10 minutes of baking for a protein-rich version.

• •

  Use coconut milk instead of cashew paste for a dairy-free, slightly sweeter korma.

• •

  Skip baking and simmer everything on the stovetop for a more traditional, quicker korma.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 4 days; the sauce thickens further when cold. Reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of water or milk to loosen.

Frequently Asked Questions