Cashews are blended with dates and seasoned sautéed onions to create a luscious, full-bodied vegan curry sauce in this hearty, warmly spiced korma, which takes just 30 minutes to come together. Serve curry over whole grains such as brown rice or whole wheat vegan naan.

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup raw cashews
  • 2 dates (any variety), pitted
  • 2 onions, chopped (2 cups)
  • 8 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon whole black peppercorns
  • 1 small bay leaf
  • 6 oz. fresh green beans, cut into ½-inch pieces (1 cup)
  • 1 cup sliced carrots (¼-inch-thick slices)
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped (1 cup)
  • ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
  • ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen green peas
  • Sea salt, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
  • Steamed grains or whole wheat naan

Instructions

  • In a small bowl combine cashews, dates, and ½ cup warm water. Let soak 20 minutes.
  • In a saucepan combine the next six ingredients (through bay leaf). Cook over medium 7 to 10 minutes or until onions are tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; cool slightly. Remove and discard bay leaf.
  • Meanwhile, place beans, carrots, and bell pepper in a steamer basket in a large saucepan. Add water to saucepan to just below basket. Bring to boiling. Steam, covered, 5 to 7 minutes or until tender.
  • Drain cashews and dates. Place in a blender. Add cooked onion mixture and the next four ingredients (through cayenne). Cover and blend to a paste, adding water, 1 to 2 Tbsp. at a time, as needed to reach desired consistency.
  • Pour paste into saucepan. Add 1 cup water. Bring to boiling. Add steamed vegetables and peas. Cook 3 to 5 minutes more or until peas are tender. Season with salt. Stir in lime juice. Sprinkle with cilantro. Serve over steamed grains or with naan.
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Comments (29)

(5 from 13 votes)

Recipe Rating

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Elia

I like the premise of the recipe, using dates and cashews and the onion spice mix to make the sauce. It’s a good recipe but I had to tweak it a lot to make the flavors stand out in a way I like.

Sara

The ingredients sound good. But the recipe sounds comicated. Three pots,? I will try to streamline this.

Pete

I feel like I'm missing something here. I followed the recipe to the letter (apart from the cayenne - I'm not a fan) and it really lacked something. Possibly sweetness. It really seemed like another spice was needed but I'm fairly new to mixing spices so I couldn't tell what it might be. I'm hoping the leftovers improve in the fridge (I doubled the ingredients so I've got a fair bit left). If anybody has had success tweaking the recipe for their own taste I'd be very interested to hear about it (especially from Australia, as our tastes are a bit different to the Americans).

Kathleen

The 2 cups of onions is used to create a creamy, flavorful sauce. I have a sensitivity though also. I'm wondering maybe a combination of white beans and cauliflower? Maybe increase the dates for the sweetness from the onions? As for the flavor, I'm not sure. I've sometimes added a little fennel as a replacement for the onion flavor.

Ann

This dish is ansolutely delicious. Tge best vegetable korma Ibhsve ever tasted. I made this recipe for non-vegan friends. The dedicated meat eater of the group declared this the best dish she's ever tasted!

Janet H

I doubled the turmeric, cumin, & coriander, and added cauliflower, having some from our CSA. This was delicious!

Ann

CSA????

Ann

Delicious!!!! Definitely one of my favourite recipes. I would love to double the recipe but wonder if there would be any modifications to the spices etc???

Steve

CSA is Community Supported Agriculture. It's a way to support local growers and get the best fresh veggies for yourself.

Sylwia

Hi, this recipe sounds delicious. I have strong digestive intolerance to onions, what would be a substitute?

Noemi

I would think you could just leave them out. With all the other spices, I think you won't miss them.

Ella

Sylwia, asafetida (also known as hing powder) has a flavor like onions and garlic. It can be found in asian markets.

Bodhitara

Very tasty and creamy. I used fresh turmeric and coriander roots. And sunflower seeds instead of cashew nuts. Will definitely make it again.

Erica

Wow very flavorful! Didn’t have bay leaves otherwise pretty much followed the recipe. I sautéed the veggies in water instead of steaming and then add the sauce and frozen peas at the end. Turned out great!

Cathy

Delish! Added a little more spice. And I used cooked green lentils instead of green beans

Josie Talbot

I have a question. I am allergic to cashews could I use ground chickpea as a substitute?

Kathleen Pugliese

I have heard that some people use sunflower seeds to replace nuts in these types of recipes for a "creamy" sauce.

Noemi

Try white beans.

Christina Andrews Allen

My very 1st vegan meal! Very satisfying and tasty

Emily

I'm not the recipe author, and I've never made this recipe. However, I avoid high-fat plant foods, so I was going to experiment with blending in some white beans to make a "creamy" sauce instead of using cashews. If you don't mind high-fat plant foods, you might try substituting silken tofu or coconut milk.

Joy

Have you tried using the beans? Results?

Sally J Benjamin

Allergic to cashews what options could be used as a substitute? Thank you for your advise. SB

Patsy Keim

Macadamia nuts, I'm alergic to cashews too.

Ann Lembo

I made this recipe for the first time yesterday. Delicious. Vegetable Korma was one of my favorite dishes before I became vegan and I have missed it, but had never made it. Thank you for sharing this recipe. I also added just a few raw cashews to each dish before serving, which added some additional crunch and creaminess.

Manju Chaurasia

I have a suggestion : Fresh peas would be preferable and can be steamed along with with the beans and carrots. Excellent healthy and tasty recipe. Thank you.

Ann Marie Gambino

I just made this wonderful recipe. Since I couldn't find fresh green beans, I substitute broccoli and potatoes, excellent! Thank you for sharing this recipe.

Nicole

What could I substitute for the peas? Not a fan of them unfortunately.

Loti

We loved this recipe. Definitely a good addition to the recipe box.

Linda

Hi Josie, you could use canned coconut milk

About the Author

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About the Author

Darshana Thacker Wendel

Darshana Thacker Wendel is a whole-food, plant-based chef and former culinary projects manager for Forks Over Knives. A graduate of the Natural Gourmet Institute, she is the author of Forks Over Knives: Flavor! She created the recipes for Forks Over Knives Family and was a lead recipe contributor to the New York Times bestseller The Forks Over Knives Plan. Her recipes have been published in The Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease Cookbook, Forks Over Knives—The Cookbook, Forks Over Knives: The Plant-Based Way to Health, and LA Yoga magazine online. Visit DarshanasKitchen.com and follow her on Instagram for more.
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