Chicken korma recipe

Chicken korma recipe

A lovely dish, creamy and nutty with clear flavours of whole spices.  Korma was not always a Friday night special.  It started life in palaces and was eaten by Kings, so while I've added turmeric here, I prefer to give this dish the respect it deserves and use a good pinch of saffron (infuse it in 2 tbsp hot milk as you cook and add it at the end), though the budget can't always stretch to that! If you are feeling flush, finish with a little edible gold leaf on top.  The white poppy seeds are one of those secret ingredients that will make your korma special.

Ingredients

  • 25 g fresh root ginger, peeled weight
  • 5 fat garlic cloves
  • 40 g cashew nuts
  • 4 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp caraway seeds
  • 1 cinnamon stick (7.5cm)
  • 6 cloves
  • 2 blades mace
  • 10 green cardamom pods
  • 10 black peppercorns
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 600 g chicken, skinned and jointed (I prefer small chickens)
  • 160 g plain yogurt
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 0.5 tsp turmeric
  • 1 pinch salt, to taste
  • 3 tbsp ground almonds
  • 4 tbsp double cream
  • 1 tbsp white poppy seeds (optional but special)
  • 40 g block creamed cocount (or 2-3 tbsp coconut cream)
  • 2 tsp lemon juice
  • 0.9 oz fresh root ginger, peeled weight
  • 5 fat garlic cloves
  • 1.4 oz cashew nuts
  • 4 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp caraway seeds
  • 1 cinnamon stick (7.5cm)
  • 6 cloves
  • 2 blades mace
  • 10 green cardamom pods
  • 10 black peppercorns
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 21.2 oz chicken, skinned and jointed (I prefer small chickens)
  • 5.6 oz plain yogurt
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 0.5 tsp turmeric
  • 1 pinch salt, to taste
  • 3 tbsp ground almonds
  • 4 tbsp double cream
  • 1 tbsp white poppy seeds (optional but special)
  • 1.4 oz block creamed cocount (or 2-3 tbsp coconut cream)
  • 2 tsp lemon juice
  • 0.9 oz fresh root ginger, peeled weight
  • 5 fat garlic cloves
  • 1.4 oz cashew nuts
  • 4 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp caraway seeds
  • 1 cinnamon stick (7.5cm)
  • 6 cloves
  • 2 blades mace
  • 10 green cardamom pods
  • 10 black peppercorns
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 21.2 oz chicken, skinned and jointed (I prefer small chickens)
  • 5.6 oz plain yogurt
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 0.5 tsp turmeric
  • 1 pinch salt, to taste
  • 3 tbsp ground almonds
  • 4 tbsp double cream
  • 1 tbsp white poppy seeds (optional but special)
  • 1.4 oz block creamed cocount (or 2-3 tbsp coconut cream)
  • 2 tsp lemon juice

Details

  • Cuisine: Indian
  • Recipe Type: Main
  • Difficulty: Medium
  • Preparation Time: 20 mins
  • Cooking Time: 50 mins
  • Serves: 4

Step-by-step

  1. Blend the ginger and garlic with a little water to help make a smooth paste. Separately blend the cashew nuts with enough water to cover, to make another smooth paste. Set both aside.
  2. Heat the oil in a large, wide non-stick saucepan. Add the whole spices and bay leaves and allow to sizzle for 10-20 seconds. Add the onion and cook gently until really soft but not coloured. Add the ginger-galic paste and continue to cook until the liquid has dried up and the garlic smells cooked and is lightly golden.
  3. Add the chicken, yogurt, coriander, turmeric and salt. Cook, stirring and folding the chicken in the yogurt constantly, until it comes to the boil. Then continue cooking until the yogurt has been absorbed by the chicken. Add enough water to come halfway up the chicken, bring back to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover and cook gently for 20-30 minutes, giving the pot an occasional stir. The chicken should be nearly done.
  4. Check the pot after 20 minutes and, if there is a lot of liquid, finish cooking the chicken over a high heat, uncovered so the excess cooks off. The sauce should be creamy.
  5. Once the chicken is done, add the ground almonds, cashew nut paste, cream, poppy seeds and coconut. Simmer for five minutes, or until the sauce has the right creamy consistency. Add lemon juice to taste and adjuts the seasonings.
  6. To serve the korma, top it with any one - or even several - of the following; quartered dried figs, raisins, toasted flaked almonds, roasted cahews, hazelnuts or pistachios, saffron, friend fresh root ginger julienne, edible gold leaf.

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