Chicken Korma
I feel out of every ethnicity of cooking that I’ve done on this site, Indian is always the most complex. There are so many ingredients and steps in a recipe. There is always a specific order in which ingredients need to be added to get the right flavor. This chicken korma recipe is definitely that. But, holy snikes! This is one of the best things I think i’ve ever made. Adding the cashew paste to this curry at the end gives it a nutty richness. There are so many aromatic flavors going on in this dish, it will give you a sensory overload. This is that dish that will make you feel all tingly inside; kinda like you just sat in a puddle. I’ll have what she’s having.If you want to make this dish vegan, you can leave out the chicken and Greek yogurt, substituting carrots, peas, and green beans and adding 3 more tbsp of cashew paste. Lamb, shrimp, and firm fleshed white fish are great substitutes for protein.
Equipment
- Blender or food processor
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 lbs chicken thighs and drumstick bone in, skinless, cut into 2-3 pieces each
- 3 tbsp ghee
- 5 green cardamom pods
- 2 black cardamom pods
- 3 bay leaves
- 2” cinnamon stick
- 4 whole cloves
- 1 medium white onion finely chopped
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 2” ginger minced
- 1 tsp kashmiri chili powder
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 2 tbsp greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup water
- 3/4 cup cashews soaked in warm water
- salt to taste
Garnish
- 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
- 1/4 cup cashews chopped
Instructions
- In a heavy bottomed large sauce pan, melt the ghee over medium high heat. Add in the cardamom pods, whole cloves, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick. Fry for 30 seconds.
- Add in the onions. Cook until they start to change color.
- In a blender or food processor, blend the garlic and ginger with just a little bit of water to form a paste. Add that to the sauce pan with the chicken. Cook for 10 minutes, making sure that the chicken is evenly browned on all sides. They don’t have to be cooked through yet.
- Mix together the Greek yogurt, kashmiri chili powder, and turmeric. Add that to the sauce pan, making sure all of the chicken is coated in it. Simmer for 3 minutes.
- Add 1/2 cup of water to the sauce pan. Give it a stir. Cover. Reduce heat to medium low, simmering for 20 minutes. Give it a stir half way through.
- In a blender or food processor, blend the soaked cashews with a 1/2 cup of the soaking water to form a paste. Add that to the sauce pan. Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes, constantly stirring. Add salt to taste. Turn off the heat. Garnish with chopped cilantro and cashews.
- Serve with yellow rice and parathe.
