Chicken Korma

Korma is a characteristically creamy and silky Persian-Indian dish which can be traced back to the 16th century.

Its flavour is based on a mixture of spices, including ground coriander and cumin, combined with yogurt or coconut milk kept below curdling temperature and incorporated slowly and carefully. Nuts can be used but not in great quantities; usually almonds or cashews.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound chicken cut into small pieces
• 1 cup yogurt
• 1 tsp garlic paste
• 1 tsp ginger paste
• 2 medium onions finely sliced
• 1 tbsp almond paste
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tbsp ground red chili
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 bay leaf
• 1” cinnamon stick
• 2 green cardamoms
• 1 tsp caraway seeds
• 2 Aniseeds
• 3-4 tbsp clarified ghee or cooking oil
• 2 tsp fresh coriander, chopped

Method:

• In an deep heavy bottom pan heat oil and add sliced onions. Fry on high heat for 5 minutes or until the onions turn transparent. Stir frequently. Reduce heat to low and continue frying until the onions are light golden. Stir constantly. Remove onions from ghee and spread over a paper so that extra ghee is absorbed by the paper. Fried onions become crispy once they are cooled.
• In the same pan add bay leaves, caraway seeds,cinnamon,green cardamom and aniseeds . Add ginger garlic paste and fry for few seconds.
• Stir in chicken, fry for at least 5 minutes.
• Mix in yogurt and all other dry spices. Cover and cook on low heat till chicken is tender.
• Crush the crispy fried onions coarsely with a rolling pin and add to chicken along with almond paste.
• Stir frequently and simmer on low heat for 5 more minutes.
• Garnish with coriander.
• Serve with roti ( Indian flat bread) or Nan.

Do you know:

Indian bay-leaves are the leaves of a tree closely related to cinnamon. The tough, three-veined leaves are very popular in Northern India and used almost exclusively in the kitchens of Northern India, especially in the famous Moghul cuisine that was developed at the Imperial courts in Delhi and Agra.

Indian bay leaves are found not only in biryanis, but also in Moghul kormas and curries for which today the northern Indian city of Lucknow is famous.