Navarathna kurma

Navarathna Kurma is a rich and flavourful Indian curry made with a medley of nine special ingredients, including vegetables, fruits, nuts, and paneer, all cooked in a luxurious, creamy gravy. The word “Navarathna” (meaning “nine gems”) signifies the variety of ingredients used, making it a special dish often served at festive occasions and celebratory meals.

Why is Navarathna Kurma Unique?

Navarathna Kurma stands out because of its perfect balance of flavours—it combines the richness of nuts, the mild sweetness of fruits, and the aromatic blend of Indian spices in a creamy base. This dish originated from the Mughlai cuisine, known for its royal and indulgent recipes.

Ingredients in Navarathna Kurma

While variations exist, a traditional Navarathna Kurma usually includes:

• Vegetables – Carrots, beans, peas, potatoes, and bell peppers.

• Paneer – Soft, cubed paneer adds a delicious texture.

• Nuts & Dry Fruits – Cashews, almonds, raisins, or pineapple enhance the richness and add mild sweetness.

• Creamy Base – Made with cashew paste, fresh cream, or coconut milk for a silky texture.

• Spices – A mild blend of garam masala, cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves for a fragrant touch.

Serving Suggestions

Navarathna Kurma pairs beautifully with:

Indian Breads – Naan, Kulcha, Tandoori Roti, or Paratha.
Rice Dishes – Jeera Rice, Ghee Rice, or even mild Pulao.
Festive Feasts – Often part of special occasions like weddings, Navarathri, and Diwali.

Variations of Navarathna Kurma

• South Indian Style: Uses coconut milk instead of dairy cream for a subtle sweetness.

• Restaurant-Style: Richer in texture with extra cream and saffron.

• Vegan Version: Replaces dairy with coconut cream and skips paneer.

Why Try Navarathna Kurma?

If you love mildly spiced, creamy curries with a hint of sweetness, Navarathna Kurma is a must-try! It’s a great choice for those who enjoy rich and nutritious dishes with a mix of textures and flavours.

This royal dish is an excellent addition to festive meals and family dinners, bringing a restaurant-style experience right to your home.

Please check my recipe for Carrot Kurma.

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Navarathna Kurma

Niranjana Sankaranarayanan

Vegetable Kurma is one of my favourite gravies. I tasted it for the first time when I was a kid. Yes!! My mom made this at home. It is different from Navarathna Kurma. She used to grind coconut along with other spices. It is so good to eat with Chappathi. After that I got a chance to eat it after I got married. I made this at home and it is one of the recipes made frequently at home. Though we discuss about kurma, there is difference between Vegetable Kurma and Navarathna Kurma. I have tried both the versions and each has its own unique taste.Navarathna Kurma is a delicious and a very popular Mughalai dish. Navarathna means nine gems. As nine different ingredients which includes fruits, vegetables, nuts and paneer are used to prepare this kurma, it gets the name Navarathna kurma. It is less spicy and has a slightly sweet taste because of the fruits and nuts used. Ther is a Shahi version of this which is rich and creamy.Please check my recipe for Carrot Kurma.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Course Gravies, Main Course

Cuisine Indian, North Indian

Servings 4

Equipment

• Pan / Pressure cooker

Ingredients

  

Vegetables

• 100 g Paneer
• 1 no Carrot
• 9 nos Beans
• 1 no Potato Big
• 10 florets Cauliflower
• 25 g Green peas
• 4 nos Tomato Big
• 2 nos Onion

Masala

• 2 tbsp Ginger Garlic paste
• 2 tsp Coriander powder
• 1 tsp Red Chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1 tsp Garam masala powder
• 2 tsp Fresh Cream
• 1 cup Milk
• 3 tbsp Ghee

Fruits & Nuts

• few Pineapple / Apple
• few Raisins, Cashews
• optional Tutti Frutti optional

Instructions

 

• Chop the vegetables into desired size.
• Cut the paneer into cubes and keep aside.
• Steam cook the vegetables. We can also open cook it.
• Chop the onion finely. Cut the tomatoes, make puree and strain it.
• In a pan, add ghee and saute ginger garlic paste until the raw smell goes off.
• Then add the chopped onions and saute till golden brown.
• When the ghee or oil separates, add tomato puree.
• Into this add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, salt, garam masala powder. Allow it to cook for sometime.
• Add the steam cooked vegetables into the gravy.
• Cook the vegetables for some more time.
• The vegetables would have absorbed the flavour of the kurma.
• Roast the raisins and cashews in ghee.
• After few minutes add milk, fresh cream, paneer, pineapple/apple.
• Garnish it with coriander.
• The navarathna kurma goes well with chappathi, roti, phulka etc.,

Video

Keyword Kurma, North Indian gravy, Vegetable gravy

INSTRUCTIONS

• Chop the vegetables into desired size. 

• Cut the paneer into cubes and keep aside.
• Steam cook the vegetables. We can also open cook it.

• Chop the onion finely. Cut the tomatoes, make puree and strain it.
• In a pan, add ghee and saute ginger garlic paste until the raw smell goes off.

• Then add the chopped onions and saute till golden brown.

• When the ghee or oil separates, add tomato puree.

• Into this add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, salt, garam masala powder. Allow it to cook for sometime.

• Add the steam cooked vegetables into the gravy.

• Cook the vegetables for some more time.

The vegetables would have absorbed the flavour of the kurma.

• Roast the raisins and cashews in ghee.

• After few minutes add milk, fresh cream, paneer, pineapple/apple.

• Garnish it with coriander.
• The navarathna kurma goes well with chappathi, roti, phulka etc.,

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