Chop your vegetables into bite-sized pieces. I like to separate them according to how long they take to cook: the fresh ones together (cauliflower, green beans, carrots, zucchini, and potato), the frozen ones together (peas, corn, and edamame), and the very fast-cooking ones together (bell pepper). If it takes you longer to prep, keep the potato separately in water so it does not brown. I typically use about a cup of every vegetable so that the dish is balanced. Be as creative as you want to be. Navratankorma2 2. Boil your fresh vegetables (cauliflower, green beans, carrots, zucchini, and potato) – the ones that take the longest to cook – in a 6-quart pot for about 4 minutes. Remove from the hot water to a large bowl with ice water until you are ready to use. This ice bath lets you stop the cooking process so your veggies are al dente and not soggy when you cook them. You can skip this step and add the veggies directly to you your curry, but I find that it helps to take the time to cook them slightly. Otherwise, you have to cook them later, and the curry will thicken on you too much. Trust me, this added step will help you make such a difference in the end! Trust me!
In a food processor, grind onion, ginger, and garlic. You’ll end up with about ¾ cup of this watery paste.
Grind cardamom and cloves into a powder using either a coffee grinder reserved for spices or a mortar and pestle. Here’s what it looks like…it smells ten times better!
Heat ghee or oil over medium-high heat in a 6-quart sauté pan. Add cloves and cardamom powder. Cook about 40 seconds until the powder sizzles. Be careful not to burn the mixture.
Carefully add your onion, ginger, and garlic mixture. Be careful, as it can splatter going into the hot oil. Cook 2 minutes until slightly browned, mixing and scraping the bottom of the pan. I sometimes add another tablespoon of oil at this point to really pull all the ingredients together.
Add tomatoes and drained cashews. Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes on medium to medium-high heat, mixing occasionally to avoid sticking. Add water and cook another 5 minutes. Once cooked, process in a blender or high-power blender like a Vita-Mix. Put this mixture back in your pan. This mixture will be very creamy. Turn the heat off for a few minutes so the sauce does not splash up.
Add turmeric, coriander, garam masala, red chile, and salt. Mix well.
Add your fresh vegetables (the ones we boiled) and raisins. Turn the heat back on, cover your pan, and simmer your dish on medium-low for 10 minutes. The mixture thickens, so be sure to mix several times in between.
. Add frozen vegetables and bell pepper. Cook another 3 minutes. If the sauce thickens too much, I always like to add a tiny bit of water to loosen it up.
. Fold in the paneer and cream (if using). Cook through another minute. Serve over basmati rice, roti, or naan.
