Chicken Korma Recipe

An authentic korma will have little to do with ready-made sauces that might bear the same name, and should showcase aromatic spice combinations that will take a bit more time to prepare than just opening a can or jar. The following chicken korma recipe is a wonder of Indian cookery and should prove to be a favourite party dish or just use for that special family treat.

The word korma probably has Persian origins -‘koresh’, which referred to a mild stew. The Moghuls made the dish very rich and highly aromatic by using cream, yoghurt, ground almonds, saffron and other special spices. In the average UK curry house, korma will herald a very mild and creamy dish but traditionally a korma can be quite hot . In Kashmir the korma's accepted home, one of the most popular recipes ‘Mirchwangan Korma’ is red in colour because it is so full of red chillies! The following special chicken korma recipe is of medium heat and of course you can add less or more chillies to suit your own particular taste.



Chicken Korma Recipe

4 onions, two sliced, the remaining two chopped

4 - 6 tablespoons of oil for cooking, more if you deep fry the onions

25 grams (1 oz) almonds, blanched

25 grams (1 oz) cashew nuts

A few strands of saffron

4 - 6 whole cloves

6 brown (sometimes called black) cardamom pods

12 green cardamom pods

10 cm (4 inches) cinnamon stick

750 grams (1 lb 10 oz) chicken breasts or thighs

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 inch (2.5 cm) cube of ginger, peeled and grated

½ - 1 teaspoon chilli powder

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

100 ml (4 tablespoons) double cream (or yoghurt for the health conscious)

 ½ teaspoon garam masala

10 cashew nuts, chopped and toasted



Prepare the sliced onions by sprinkling them with salt ad set aside for at least 30 minutes. Then squeeze out as much water as you can from them and dry with kitchen towel. Next fry (preferably deep fry) the prepared onions in a good quantity of oil until they are golden brown. Remove from oil and drain well. These fried onions are then made into a smooth paste with the addition of hot water (about 4 -5 tablespoons) by using a food processor. Put aside this onion paste for use later.

Soak the almonds and cashews in warm water before processing them into a puree with some of the soaking liquid (around 3 tablespoons). Set aside.



Soak saffron strands in 3 tablespoons of warm water and set aside.

Next make the main curry base in a large pan or wok. Fry the chopped onions in some oil for 10 minutes, stir in cloves, cardamom pods and cinnamon stick, before adding the chicken pieces. Follow this with the fried onion paste, the ground nut paste, garlic, ginger, chilli and coriander. Fry for at least a further 10 minutes on a slightly higher heat. Next add about 150 ml of water and simmer for 15 -20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through when you can then add the saffron and soaking liquid,  and finally the cream (or yoghurt). Heat through again and then garnish by sprinkling on the garam masala and toasted nuts just before serving.



Possibly the best chicken korma recipe in the world. Enjoy.