Photo taken by thehipvegetarian

Tonight I had Naan in the house that I didn’t want to go to waste, so this gave me the good opportunity to try out a new recipe that I have been saving from my Vegetarian Times magazine.  Vegetables Korma is a traditional Indian dish. To make it simple, Vegetarian Times suggests that frozen vegetables be used.  Which is a good way to combine all those individual frozen vegetable bags with only a handful of food left in them.

This can also easily be converted into a vegan dish by using coconut milk instead of heavy cream.

I was surprised by how fast the meal came together.  I placed the rice on the stove top burner to cook and by the time it was finished the meal was ready to be served.

This recipe is very mild in flavors, not spicy at all. This might be a good introduction to Indian food for those who don’t like curry or spicy cuisine.

The original recipe says it serves two, however this was a lot of food. I think you could easily serve six if you add in the chickpeas.

Photo taken by thehipvegetarian

My husband said he liked it, however he suggested that the Masala could be quadrupled.  He pulled out the spice and started sprinkling it on his serving.  I thought I’d give it a try, and he made a good call.  However I will disclose that we do like Masala on our popcorn.

Vegetables Korma

• 1/2 cup basmati rice
• 2 medium tomatoes, cut into chunks
• 1/2 small white onion, cut into chunks
• 1 1/2 Tbs. minced fresh ginger
• 1 Tbs. vegetable oil
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala or curry powder
• 1/4 tsp. plus 1/8 tsp. ground cardamom
• 2 Tbs. golden raisins
• 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables, such as green beans, cauliflower, carrots, lima beans, and zucchini (12 oz.)
• 1 7-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained (3/4 cup), optional
• 3 Tbs. fat-free evaporated milk or heavy cream
• 1 Tbs. toasted slivered almonds, optional

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook rice according to package directions.
2. Purée tomatoes, onion, and ginger to paste in food processor or blender.
3. Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add garam masala and cardamom, and cook 30 seconds, or until fragrant, stirring constantly. Add tomato purée and raisins. Simmer 2 minutes, or until sauce thickens slightly.
4. Stir in frozen vegetables; chickpeas, if using; and evaporated milk. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 6 to 7 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Serve over rice. Sprinkle with almonds, if using.