Food Talk
 Korma for the gourmand

A refreshing change from the run-of-the-mill mixed vegetables and navratan korma, this speciality from Kerala retains the natural taste of vegetables, writes Pushpesh Pant.

Who does not know that a curry is a curry, and a korma is a korma and, like the proverbial East is East and West is West, and never the twain shall meet? But, when you are in Kerala, God’s Own Country, as the state’s Tourism Department’s colourful advertisements keep telling us, everything is possible. You can actually savour the vegetarian delicacy that unites the two like Siamese twins.

To begin with, a curry down south, beyond the Narmada, does not mean that the dish will have gravy; the original word kari only indicates that the vegetables or meats have been cooked with piquant spices. Korma in Awadh, Delhi, Bhopal and Hyderabad may mean a non-vegetarian delicacy braised and cooked in its own juices. In the Malabar region, this translates into a delightful medley of vegetables in a mild coconut milk- yoghurt-based sauce redolent of cardamoms and cinnamon.

Contrary to popular misconception, the Keralites, including the Christians, Muslims and non-Brahmins, relish the vegetarian fare. Many a festive feasts like the Sadyam at Onam are exclusively vegetarian.

What we find fascinating is that the Malayalis have a knack of preparing mixed vegetables in a dozen different ways — interfering minimally with their natural taste and textures playing around gently with hues-tones and tints, teasing and titillating the palate in a subtle, nuanced manner. The denizens of the land once ruled by the legendary king Bali, home to Kathakali dancers and exponents of Kalaripayattu, the original martial art that spawned kung fu, karate and all the rest, caparisoned elephant processions and breathtaking snake boat races, can take equal pride in its vegetarian repertoire.

Ramdas, a friend who lives in Delhi, cooked some of these culinary gems for us recently and convinced us that let not the names confuse you — the recipes are easy to master and provide a refreshing change from the run-of-the-mill mixed vegetables and navratan korma.

If you are squeamish about the coconut oil overloading the dish with cholesterol, replace it with refined oil.

Pachakari
Ingredients 
Coconut oil 3 tbsp
Potatoes 125 gm
Carrots 125 gm
Green peas 100 gm
Tomatoes 75 gm
Onions 125 gm
Green chillies six
Ginger paste 2 tsp
Garlic paste 2 tsp
Red chilli powder 1tsp
Coriander powder 1tsp
Turmeric powder 1tsp
Poppy seeds paste 2tsp
Yoghurt 1 cup
A small sprig fresh coriander
Salt to taste 
For the paste Coconut one
Fennel seeds 1 tsp
Cloves 4-5
Green cardamoms 3-4
Cinnamon three		 Method
Peel wash and cut potatoes and carrots into equal bite size pieces. Peel, wash and slice onions. Remove the stem, slit and deseed the chillies. Wash and chop tomatoes.

Whisk yoghurt. Grind coconut in a grinder. Then add fennel seeds, cloves, cardamom, and cinnamon make a fine paste. Heat oil in a pan, add onion and green chillies and sauté over medium heat until golden brown. Add ginger-garlic pastes, red chilli, coriander and turmeric powders and stir for two to three minutes. Add the tomatoes and stir until a clarified fat appears on the surface. Add the vegetables and stir for three to four minutes. Add yoghurt and poppy seeds paste and continue stirring for three to four minutes. Add water, bring to a boil.
Now add the coconut paste, bring to a boil and simmer until the vegetables are cooked. Adjust the seasoning.
Temper with curry leaves and mustard seeds sizzled in a spoonful of oil.

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