Navaratna Kuruma/Navaratan Korma

That was an explosion of vegetables in a bowl – or even better,  a Hollywood meets Bollywood type of curry. It has everything to keep you entertained while cooking as well as feeding just like a Bolly movie - colorful, eye catchy with a string of colors, but the ghora factor is so evident.  The vegetables, nuts, and fruits you choose can be tailored to fit one’s own visual palate that make this curry interesting. The major ghora content can lull you along with its lovely specks of colors. This is something I loved, in fact my Mom was very good at it. Then came a phase she called it quits and moved on to simpler things life has to offer. (She is a great preacher of simple is the best). When I decided to cook my hotchpotch dish, I turned to her for the recipe. Now she can’t remember it exactly and she doesn't feel there is any need to as recipes are floating all over www. So this recipe is adapted from her broken memory.

Ingredients

Carrots - 1- 1 1/2 cups

Beans - 6

Cauliflower - 8 big florets, cut into slices 

Potato - 1 1/2 cups

Frozen peas - 1/2 cup

Paneer/cottage cheese - 3/4 cup 

Bottlegourd - 1/2 cup

Mushrooms - 5

Apple - 1/2 of a small apple

Cashewnuts - 1/4 cup

Cinnamon - 1 stick

Green cardamoms - 4

Peppercorns - 4

Cloves - 2

Ginger garlic paste - 2 tbsp

For garnishing

Fried Cashewnuts - 1/4 cup 

Fried raisins - 1 tbsp

Method
Immerse paneer pieces in warm water to soften it. Soak cashewnuts in warm water, drain, and grind them into a paste. Pressure cook carrots, beans, potatoes, and bottle gourd till one whistle. Meantime, microwave cauliflower, apple, and mushrooms for 6-7 minutes.Saute onions in minimum oil and when they wilt, transfer to a blender and make onion paste out of it.   Heat oil in a kadai, add cinnamon sticks, cloves, cardamoms, and peppercorns. When they start to crackle, add ginger garlic paste. Add ground onion paste. Saute the onion paste to remove the raw flavor if any. Add green chillies, cashew paste, and yogurt. Cook on low heat for 5 mins. Add boiled vegetables. Add green peas. Cook for 2 minutes. Add salt and water according to your requirements. Add paneer pieces immersed in warm water. Bring to a boil. Garnish with cream, cashewnuts, and raisins.

Notes:-

You can use red cherries for garnish.

If you are using organic apples, leave the peel on as it gives a nice crunch to the dish.

Pineapple is a nice alternative to apple, but if you can't get really sweet ones, your dish might turn sour.

Basically you are trying to balance the flavors (sweet, sour, crunch, creaminess), so keep your family's preference in mind.