Green Kurma (South Indian Style) 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.
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.