Vegetable Korma

Was a bit lazy... was actually thinkin' which shud be my next recipe for u... shud b something for the vegans n nons alike.. and veg korma came to my mind... Korma, though rich in vegetables, is a favourite of both vegetarians n non-vegetarians and is a regular in functions like marriages, receptions etc..in Kerala. The fact is that non-vegetarian folks take the mutton or chicken variety first and then take our favourite korma too along with rice noodles or appam or even pathiri.. Thats the importance of veg korma in our land, taste this one!

Ingredients:

Potato : 2 nos.

Carrot : 1 nos.

Beans : 3-5 nos.

Cauliflower : a handful

Peas : half a handful

Tomato : a small one

Onion : 1 no.

Green Chilly : 5-6 nos.

Curry leaves : 2 sprigs

Cardamom : 2 nos.

Cinnamon : a small stick

Star Anise (thakkolam) : 1/5th of 1 

Cloves(grambu) : 1 no. 

Garam masala : a pinch

Ginger : 3 pods

Garlic : 1/2 inch piece

Turmeric powder : 1/2 tspn

Coriander powder : 1 tspn

Fennel seeds powder : 1/2 tspn

Pepper powder : 1/2 tspn

Grated coconut : half a big coconut

Coriander leaves: a bunch

Coconut oil : 3 tbspn

Salt : as required

• Clean the vegetables, dice them into small pieces and keep aside. Regarding the beans, you may cut it into 1 inch pieces.
• Extract coconut milk out of the grated coconut in the proportion of 1:2; 1 being 1 cup of1st milk which is thicker and 2 being 2 cups of 2nd milk.
• Take a pressure cooker and pour oil onto it. Once hot, add the spices; cardamom, cinnamon and just one piece of star anise and once you get the wow! aroma (I jus meant the aroma of spices gettin' roasted!), add curry leaves and saute.
• Add onion cut into small pieces and green chillies as well along with a little salt. Saute until onions get soft n transparent.
• Add ginger-garlic made into a fine paste and saute till the raw smell goes off. 
• Add turmeric powder, pepper powder, fennel seeds powder and coriander powder along with 1/2 cup 2nd milk and saute until the raw smell of the coriander powder goes off. 
• Add the diced vegetables and peas along with required salt and remaining 2nd milk and cook under low flame until you hear 4-5 whistles on ur cooker. Allow it to cool.
• Now, open the lid and add the 1st extract of coconut milk and a pinch of garam masala. Donot cook for long once you have added the 1st extract.
• Garnish with coriander leaves.

Note : Keep the peas overnight in water and cook it separately with some water before adding along with the other vegetables since it requires more time to get cooked.

I might be giving atleast some of u a chance of doubt while mentioning the spices and the garam masala separately. Spices is the raw version of cinnamon, cardamom, star anise and cloves and garam masala is the dry roast version of the aforesaid :)