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Looking for a simple and fragrant side dish for your rotis/ rice? This instant pot Vellai kurma is the perfect accompaniment to your breads. Loaded with veggies, this creamy kurma has the sweetness from coconut and uses aromatic spoces to make this one of my favorite side dishes!
Kurma or korma is a popular dish in Indian cuisine. Vellai kurma is a south Indian version wherein “vellai” meaning white in tamil ie, the gravy for this dish is white in color and it is prepared without tomatoes to give it a white/ creamy color. It is much more lighter and milder than the creamy north Indian kormas and is usually enjoyed with idlis/ dosas/ rotis and idiyappams.
This Vellai kurma is easy to make and can be done using your instant pot / pressure cooker or an open pan. It is flavoured mainly with spices like cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, fennel and curry leaves. Coconut and cashews give it a nice creamy texture and color to this dish.
What if I am allergic to cashews?
For those with allergy to cashews, you could omit it and use almonds or use some thick coconut cream to give some richness and smoothness to the dish. This dish is also dairy free making it vegan.
What can I substitute the grated coconut with?
If you cant find grated coconut, use coconut cream for the rich coconut flavor. I recommend adding them both if possible!
Let’s see how to make White / vellai kurma with step by step instructions:
First make a smooth paste of the following ingredients – Cashews, coconut, poppy seeds, fennel, green chillies, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom.
Next switch on your instant pot / pressure cooker and add some oil. I either use peanut or coconut oil for a nice flavour. Then temper with some mustard seeds, curry leaves, cumin and fennel seeds.
Add some chopped red onions to this and saute until translucent. You dont have to brown the onions. When the onions are done, add the ground paste, salt as needed and mix well.
Now add the chopped veggies. You could add potatoes, beans, peas, carrots, corn. I just used the frozen mixed vegetables that I had in my freezer. Mix well and cook on pressure cook mode in your instant pot for 12 minutes and let the pressure release naturally. If using a pressure cooker, cook for 3 whistles or until the veggies are cooked and the raw smell is gone.
Serve hot, garnished with some chopped mint leaves, coriander leaves .
This vellai kurma pairs very well with some rotis / chapatis or even idli dosas. You can even cook this with coconut milk instead of water. It will give a great flavour to the dish.
5 from 1 vote
Vellai Kurma Recipe
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
30 mins
South Indian Tamil Style vellai kurma flavored with coconut and fennel served as an accompaniment to rotis/ idlis and dosa
Course:Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine:South Indian
Keyword:curries, instant pot
Servings: 4
Author: Preethi Venkatram
Ingredients
For the masala paste
- 1/4cupgrated coconut
- 2 to 3tbspcashew nuts (substitute with almonds of allergic)
- 2green chillies (use less or more as per spice levels)
- 11/2tsp
Fennel Seed 
- 1tsppoppy seeds(optional)
- 1inch
cinnamon - 1clove
- 1cardamom
For the kurma
- 1medium sizedonion chopped fine
- 11/2cupschopped veggies (potato, beans, carrots, peas)
- 11/2tbsppeanut / coconut oil
- 1sprig curry leaves
- 1/2tspmustard seeds
- 1/2tspcumin seeds
- 1/2tspfennel seeds
- 2cups water
- salt to taste
- 2tbspcoconut cream (optional)
Instructions
Instant pot recipe
Switch on the saute mode in your instant pot. When it heats up, add the oil and add the mustard seeds, cumin, fennel, curry leaves and let the mustard pop.
Now the chopped onions and saute until translucent. (Do not brown them)
Meanwhile grind the items mentioned under masala paste to a smooth paste with water,.
When the onions are done, add the paste, saute for a minute.
Add the chopped veggies, salt, water and mix well. Cook on manual / pressure cook mode for 12 minutes. (low heat) Release pressure naturally.
Stove top Recipe
Heat a kadai. Add the oil and add the mustard seeds, cumin, fennel, curry leaves and let the mustard pop.
Now the chopped onions and saute until translucent. (Do not brown them)
Meanwhile grind the items mentioned under masala paste to a smooth paste with water.
When the onions are done, add the veggies, 1 cup water, salt and let the veggies cook until almost done. (80% cooked)
Now add the ground paste and let it boil in low flame for about 5 to 6 minutes until the raw smell is gone. Add the remaining water as needed.
When done, finish it off with a bit of coconut cream and serve hot with rotis/ idlis/ dosa.
Recipe Notes
If allergic to nuts, skip them. In that case you make a slurry with corn flour or all purpose flour to thicken the gravy. To do that just mix a tbsp of the flour with water and let it cook in the end so that the gravy thickens.
Here’s a richer, north Indian style Korma to go with your rotis / chapatis – Instant pot vegan Korma
Looking for more Sabjis / side dish recipes ? Check out – Channa masala Cabbage sabji , Dal Makhani, Soya chunks curry, Hara bhara Tofu masala
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