Green Kurma (South Indian Style) Recipe

Green Kurma is a delicious South Indian curry that’s full of flavour, colour, and nutrition. It is made with a variety of vegetables and a fresh green masala paste. This dish is rich, mildly spiced, and perfect for both everyday meals and special occasions.

Green Kurma (also spelled Korma) is a type of vegetable curry cooked in a green-coloured gravy. The green colour comes from fresh coriander leaves, mint leaves, green chillies, and coconut. The base is creamy and mildly spiced, making it suitable for all ages.

It is a popular side dish served with Indian breads like rawa idli, chapatis, parottas, pooris, or even dosas. Some also enjoy it with plain rice or ghee rice.

Vegetables

Green Kurma is made with a mix of colourful and healthy vegetables. Commonly used vegetables are carrots, beans, potatoes, green peas, and cauliflower. These vegetables not only add taste but also make the curry more nutritious. You can chop them into small, even pieces so they cook quickly and evenly. Frozen peas can be added directly without boiling. You can also use other vegetables like bell peppers or baby corn if you prefer. This mix of vegetables gives the kurma a nice texture and a variety of flavours in every bite.

A Healthy Choice

This kurma is not just tasty but also healthy. It uses a mix of colourful vegetables such as carrots, beans, peas, cauliflower, and potatoes. These vegetables add fibre, vitamins, and minerals to the dish.

The green masala paste also includes ingredients like ginger, garlic, fennel seeds, poppy seeds, and cashews. These spices and nuts bring warmth and creaminess to the gravy. Coconut adds a sweet and nutty flavour, while mint and coriander give it a fresh aroma.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Fresh and aromatic: The herbs and spices used in the masala make the dish smell amazing.
• Easy to make: With some prep and a good blender, the kurma comes together quickly.
• Customizable: You can use any vegetables you like or have at home.
• Comforting and satisfying: The rich, smooth gravy is perfect with hot flatbreads or soft dosa.

Tips for Best Results

To make the best green kurma, use fresh coconut if available. Soak the cashews or poppy seeds before grinding to get a smooth paste. Allow the curry to simmer so the flavours can blend nicely. If you’re short on time or want a finer texture, grind the cashews and poppy seeds to a dry, fine powder first (without water). Then add the rest of the masala ingredients (coconut, chillies, mint, coriander, etc.) and grind everything together to a paste by adding water.

Also, be careful with the water – add only as much as needed to get a thick but pourable gravy.

A South Indian Favourite

Green Kurma is a popular dish in Tamil Nadu and Kerala homes. It is often served in restaurants along with parotta or chapati. The fresh taste of herbs mixed with traditional spices makes it stand out from regular kurmas.

This dish is a wonderful way to enjoy vegetables in a creamy, spiced gravy without being too heavy or oily.

Green Kurma is a perfect combination of taste, health, and comfort. It’s a great dish to try if you love South Indian food or want a new way to enjoy mixed vegetables. Whether you’re making a weekday lunch or planning a weekend feast, green kurma is sure to impress your family and friends. Let’s dive into the recipe and learn how to make this flavourful curry step by step!

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Green Kurma (South Indian Style) Recipe

Print Recipe

Green Kurma is a South Indian curry with mixed vegetables simmered in a fresh green masala paste of coconut, herbs, and spices. It's mildly spiced, aromatic, and pairs well with rawa idli, chapati, dosa, or rice.

Course Breakfast, Dinner

Cuisine Indian

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Servings 5

Author sumisculinarynotes

Ingredients

For the green masala paste:

• 1 cup Fresh grated coconut
• 2-3 Green chillies adjust to spice level
• 1 inch of Ginger piece
• 4 garlic cloves
• ½ tsp Fennel seeds
• 2 tsp Poppy seeds
• 10-15 Cashews or roasted gram dal / pottukadalai – 1 tbsp
• ¼ cup Mint leaves
• ½ cup Coriander leaves
• Water – to grind

For the gravy:

• 11/2 -2 cups of Mixed vegetables carrot, beans, potato, frozen peas, cauliflower
• 1 large Onion thinly sliced
• 1 Tomato chopped
• ⅛ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 small stick of Cinnamon
• 2 Cloves
• 2 Cardamom
• 1 Bay leaf
• 1 star anise
• Oil – 2 tbsp
• Salt – to taste
• Water – as needed

Instructions

• Boil or steam the mixed vegetables (except frozen peas) until just tender. Set aside.
• Blend all ingredients listed under green masala paste with a little water to a smooth paste.
• Heat oil in a pan. Add cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, star anise and bay leaf.
• Add sliced onions and sauté until translucent.
• Add chopped tomato and cook until soft.
• Add turmeric powder and mix. Add the frozen peas. Cover and cook until the tomatoes are cooked through.
• Add the ground green masala paste. Add water to adjust the consistency. (kurma should be slightly thick.)
• Cook on medium heat for 5–7 minutes until the raw smell is gone and the oil starts to separate slightly.
• Add the cooked vegetables. Mix well.
• Add salt and simmer for 5–10 minutes.
• Garnish with coriander leaves.

Notes

If you are boiling the vegetables before adding them to the kurma, make sure to add the cooked vegetables along with the same water used for boiling. This helps retain the nutrients and also adds more flavour to the curry.

To check if the vegetables are cooked, especially the potatoes, gently poke a knife or fork into a potato piece. If it goes in easily without resistance, the vegetables are cooked and ready for the next step.

If you are using ginger-garlic paste instead of fresh ginger and garlic, add it after the onions are sautéed until golden. In this case, you can skip adding ginger and garlic to the green masala paste. This helps balance the flavours and avoids repeating the same ingredients.

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