Instant Pot Vegetable Korma

This Indian curry is easy to make using a pressure cooker or an Instant Pot. It tastes uber delicious and gets ready in under 30 minutes. This veg kurma works perfectly for a meatless main dish.

What is Vegetable Korma?

Mix Veg Korma is a nutty, mildly spiced luscious North Indian curry, made with a medley of vegetables. This Indian curry is easy to make, and perfect for meatless main dish. Now, traditionally korma is made with coconut milk. But, I like to make mine with almonds and cashwes instead of the coconut. This recipe is a cross between Shahi Paneer, and Veg Kurma, hence this recipe makes for a supremely delicious meal. I like to use vegetables like potatoes, cauliflower, green beans, carrots, peas and corn to make this recipe. The creaminess of the sauce is achieved using the soaked almonds and cashew puree, along with caramelized onions. This puree is further cooked in the onion tomato base, with aromatics. Instant pot is my absolute favorite, and to cook this curry using it is an absolute game changer because it still tastes exactly how it would taste when the curry is slow-cooked on the stove.

Difference between Veg Kurma and Veg Korma

Vegetable Kurma and Korma are loosely referred to as the same. Although from my understanding, and from whatever I have read Kurma is a South Indian curry, prepared with coconut, poppy seeds, and few other spices, cooked with either variety of vegetables, or a single vegetable or a source of protein. Try my Mushroom Kurma recipe! While Vegetable Korma, is made with a creamy sauce base made with cashews and almonds and mildly spiced than Kurma. The Korma usually tastes mildly sweet, and is very aromatic. It is perfect if you are looking for a mildly spiced aromatic creamy curry to make for your guests. I also believe Kurmas, don’t have a creamy curry base, while Kormas do.

Instant Pot Mix Veg Curry

This Instant Pot Mix Vegetable Korma is made without coconut milk. I love making the curries using my Instant Pot because they are super easy to make. It took me under 30 mins to make this curry using the Instant pot, while traditionally this curry is slow-cooked on the stove. The curry needs pressure cooking for 2 minutes, and the vegetables are perfectly cooked, yet they have their crunch. I start with Saute mode, to caramelize my onions, and then blitzing the onions with soaked nuts. Using the saute mode, I continue to fry onions and aromatics, along with whole and ground spices, and tomato puree. Once the sauce is cooked, I add the nuts and caramelized onion sauce, mix vegetables, and some water. I close the lid, and pressure cook the curry for 2 minutes. Once the Vegetable Korma is ready, I add paneer to it, and finish it with some Kasuri Methi.

Ingredients to Make This Recipe

Nuts - I like to use almonds and cashews for this recipe. If you want to substitute, you can use coconut milk. If you want to make it nuts free, just add heavy cream in the end. Onions - We will use sliced and finely diced onions. Use the sliced onions to caramelize and then blitz into puree along with soaked almonds and cashews. Ghee + Oil - I like to use both ghee and oil in this recipe. If you want to make it vegan, just use any neutral-flavored oil. Spices - For whole spices we will use cumin seeds, dried red chili, bay leaf, small cinnamon stick, and green cardamoms. For ground spices we will be using Kashmiri red chili powder, turmeric, salt, coriander powder, garam masala and pav bhaji masala. If you don’t have pav bhaji masala, you can skip it. Aromatics - Use minced or paste of ginger, garlic and green chilies. Tomatoes - Blitz two tomatoes until pureed and keep it aside. Veggies - You can use any fresh/ frozen vegetables you like. I am using French beans, carrots, potatoes, cauliflower, peas and corn. Paneer - I am using paneer for protein, but you can also add soy chunks. Kasuri Methi - Add Kasuri Methi in the end to add smokiness to the korma. Water - To adjust the consistency of the korma.

Step-By-Step Recipe

To Make the Caramelized Onion and Nuts Puree

Soak the almonds and cashews in hot water for 15 minutes, or soak them overnight. Peel off the skin of almonds once the nuts are well-soaked.
Start the Instant Pot on Saute mode for 30 minutes. To this add oil. Once the oil is hot add sliced onions.
Let the onions caramelize. Now take the onions out and add them to a blender jar. Add the soaked nuts and half a cup of water.
Blitz until you have a smooth puree. Keep it aside.

To Make The Korma

While your instant pot is still in saute mode, add ghee to the pot.
Now, I add cumin seeds, dried red chili, cinnamon stick, bay leaf and green cardamom pods.
To this, you will add finely chopped onions, and minced ginger garlic and green chilies. You will have to saute this until the oil separates to make sure the onions and aromatics are cooked perfectly.
To this add your ground spices, which are Kashmiri red chili powder, turmeric, coriander powder, garam masala, and pav bhaji masala. Add salt too.
To this add puree of two tomatoes, it should yield you about 1 cup of tomato puree.
Cook until the oil separates, and to this add the prepared caramelized onion and nuts puree. Mix well.
To this add prepped vegetables.
Add about 1 cup of water and adjust the consistency of the vegetable korma.
Close the Instant Pot Lid and press Cancel.
Now press on Pressure Cook Button. Manually set timer for 2 minutes, and cook the Korma on high temperature,
Once the Korma is cooked, after 5 minutes, do a Quick Pressure Release.
Carefully open the Instant Pot Lid, and stir the curry. Hit Cancel and press Saute Mode again.
To this add diced paneer cubes.
Finish the korma, by finally adding crushed Kasoori Methi.
Serve with Phulka Rotis, or Garlic Naan.

Expert Tips To Make This Recipe

I recommend you to prep all your ingredients before starting to cook the curry. Soaking the nuts helps with blitzing them in a smooth creamy puree, so don’t forget to soak your nuts in hot water before starting to prep other ingredients. The caramelized onions, naturally adds the required sweetness to the curry, which also beautifully balances the flavor, so don’t skip this step. Almonds and cashews add beautiful creaminess to the curry, so I don’t like to add heavy cream to it. Pav Bhaji masala in this recipe is a total game changer, so don’t skip it if you can. You can use fresh/ frozen vegetables, but I think the fresh vegetables hold up their shape and crunch better, when pressure cooked. Cook the Korma curry base, with onions, spices, aromatics and tomatoes patiently. Practice the quick pressure release after 5 minutes, when the pressure cook beeps, when its done. This will make sure your veggies hold their shape, and you can experience biting into veggies, and not end up with mushy vegetables. Do not add paneer before pressure cooking, the paneer will become chewy. If you wish to add soy chunks, hydrate the chunks in hot water, and then squeeze out all the water. Add them along with the vegetables. Make it vegan by skipping ghee and paneer, instead use oil, and tofu or soy chunks.

Storage Instructions and Serving Suggestions

The vegetable korma stays fresh in the refrigerator for upto 3-4 days. I like to serve this Korma, with butter naan, phulka rotis or parathas. You can also freeze the Korma, in an airtight freezer-friendly container for upto 3 months.