Vellai Kurma/ White Kurma

Vellai Kurma/ White Kurma is a popular, mouth-watering South Indian vegetable gravy in which vegetables are cooked in a rich cashew, coconut-based masala.

Vellai kurma is famous in many restaurants in Tamilnadu especially in Saravana Bhavan. The recipe I have shared today is very similar to it. If you are tired of making regular vegetable kurma, this is the best and tastiest alternate to it.

Making of this kurma doesn’t take much time. If you have the vegetables chopped, it all takes just 20 to 30 minutes for the whole preparation.

Vegetables of your preference- carrot, potato, green beans, green peas, cauliflower can be used. I have used coconut, cashewnut, couscous to thicken the gravy. If you don’t prefer couscous, you can replace it with fried gram dal/ pottukadalai. I like the taste of couscous.

Whenever I make this kurma at home, it is very much liked by everyone at home. Infact chapati disappears fast and I end up making more chapati’s. So don’t think twice. Just give it a try!!

Vellai kurma/White kurma goes well with chapati, roti, idiyappam, parotta, ghee rice, jeera rice, pulav, dosa etc..,

Must try recipe❤

To check the recipe video, click the link below:

INGREDIENTS

1 cup= 200 ml.

  • Onion- 1, medium sized ( finely chopped lengthwise which makes 1 heaped cup)
  • Carrot- 1
  • Green beans- 9
  • Green peas- 1/3rd cup
  • Potato- 1
  • Bay leaf- 1
  • Curry leaves- 1 sprig
  • Cumin seeds- 1 tsp
  • Coriander leaves- 2 tbsp
  • Salt- as needed.

To Grind:

  • Ginger- 1 inch
  • Garlic- 5 cloves
  • Coconut- 1 cup
  • Cashewnut- 8
  • Couscous- 1 tsp
  • Green chilli- 3
  • Fennel seeds- 1 tsp
  • Cinnamon- 1 inch
  • Cloves- 2
  • Cardamom- 2 pods.

PROCEDURE

Clean the vegetables well and chop it into small pieces as shown in the picture above (in ingredients).

Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pan. Add bay leaf, cumin seeds and then curry leaves. Let it turn aromatic.
Add the finely chopped onions and saute till it turns translucent.
Meanwhile, grind all the ingredients in “to grind” list. Move everything to a mixer jar.
Pulse it once to coarse and grind it to smooth paste by adding required water.
Grinded smooth paste is ready. Keep it aside.
Once the onions turn translucent, add finely chopped carrot, green beans, green peas and potato.
Add little salt and saute them in oil for 1 minute.
Then add little water to cook the vegetables.
Cover the pan with a lid on top and cook till the vegetables are cooked slightly above three-fourth.
Once opening the lid. Vegetables are cooked slightly above three-fourth.
Now add the grinded smooth coconut, cashew paste.
Add water to the same mixer jar and pour out the left paste from the jar. The gravy tastes good when it is little thick. Adjust the water added accordingly.
Check for the salt now and add if needed.

Cover it with a lid and cook till the raw smell of the masala goes away. The vegetables should be cooked completely.
Wait for the oil to separate on top. Then switch off the flame.
Garnish with coriander leaves on top.

Ready.

TIPS

  • Cook the whole process in medium flame.
  • Couscous can be replaced with roasted gram dal/ pottukadalai. I prefer couscous.