The Korma Diaries - Chicken White Korma.

The Korma. A curry that has long been a tradition served on the dinner table in many households and for  special occasions, feasts and events. It is another in the long line of Mughlai cuisines that is very popular among the masses.

Korma or Qorma is a dish where meat or vegetables are braised with yogurt and spices to produce a thick sauce. Its origins are from the 16th century during the Mughal period where the Rajput cooks experimented with it in the royal kitchens of Mughal emperor Akbar. Legend has it that if a chef could cook a Korma, they could cook for the Mughal courts, and if he could cook variations of it, he would be known as the king of the kitchen.

    

There are quite a few variations of the dish, with different levels of spice. The most common form of Korma has a dark orange coloured appearance with quite a bit of kick in the spice though regional variations do add some extra ingredients to give it their own varied taste. Living in the UK, I've come to notice that the Kormas they sell / serve here is far from the norm of what you actually get in the subcontinent. The ones you find here have a much more sweeter taste as opposed to the creamy spicier taste you experience in India or Pakistan. Honestly speaking I was quite disappointed in what they label here as a Korma and hence I was left yearning for the one I actually grew up with. What the Brits refer to as 'Korma', you'd be caught dead if you were to be served the same in countries like India or Pakistan haha. 

While I'll resort to making the more popular form of Korma for a later date, what I have here is a more 'special' version. This Korma is considered a more 'royal' version due to it's history of having been served to the Mughal Emperor Shah Jehan during the inauguration of the Taj Mahal. The difference here to that of the regular Korma is that the spices used here are lesser but they are enough to give the dish it's own distinct velvety flavour while still retaining the main Korma taste. The spice levels are milder and the gravy has more tanginess to it because of the yogurt and lemon juice implemented into the dish. But the moment you take that first bite, you realise how delectable everything comes together to please the tastebuds. The gravy for the dish can be made thicker or creamier depending on your tastes. I've kept the gravy thicker but feel free to keep it however you like. (I've put it in the recipe description for both options)

The dish is best served with naan or rice. However you accompany it, you can be sure it will be a hit with your friends and family alike! 

Here's the recipe:

Chicken White Korma Recipe:

Ingredients:

- 1kg chicken (On the bone or boneless - I used on the bone with Korma cuts)

- 400 gms onions (finely diced).

- 2 tbsp garlic paste.

- 2 tbsp ginger paste. 

- 2 to 4 tbsp green chilli paste (Alternatively you can get 5 to 7 green chillies and chop them finely)

- 200 to 250 gms plain yogurt (Whipped)

- 1 cup cooking oil / ghee. 

- 1 to 2 sticks of cinnamon.

- 6 green cardamoms.

- 6 to 8 cloves.

- 1 tsp salt (Or according to taste).

- 1/2 tsp black pepper powder.

- 1/2 tsp white pepper powder. (If you don't have white pepper, just add another 1/2 tsp of black pepper). 

- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder. 

- 1/2 tsp coriander powder. 

- 1 tsp cumin powder. 

- 4 tbsp lemon juice. 

- Chopped coriander. (For garnishing).

- Blanched or flaked almonds. (For garnishing).

- Optional: 

- 1/2 tsp of mace powder and 1/2 tsp of nutmeg powder.

- 2 to 4 tbsp cream (If you want a creamier gravy)

Preparation:

- First add in the green chilli paste, garlic and ginger pasted and all the powdered spices (salt, black pepper, white pepper, turmeric, coriander, cumin, mace, nutmeg) on to the chicken and mix it well. Set it aside for around 30 to 45 minutes. 

- In a large cooking pot, heat up the oil / ghee. Add in the diced onions and fry them on medium to high flame until they are light brown in colour. Take them out and set them on a kitchen paper towel. Spread them across the paper towel so that all the extra oil can be absorbed and let it cool. 

- Once onions are cooled, you can either crush them manually and add them into the yogurt or alternatively blend them with the yogurt in a blender. Set it aside.

- In the same oil in which you fried the onions, add in the other spices (Cinnamon, cloves, cardamoms. Fry them for about 2 to 3 minutes then add in the marinated chicken. 

- Fry the chicken for about 5 to 7 minutes on medium high flame. 

- Next add in your onion/yogurt mixture mix it well in the chicken. Cover and cook it on medium flame for about 20 to 25 minutes until you see the oil separate from the gravy. 

- If you're opting for a creamier gravy, add in the cream and cook for a further 5 minutes on medium to high flame. 

- Add in the lemon juice, turn off the flame and let it rest for 5 minutes. 

- Serve in a serving bowl and garnish it with the chopped coriander and almonds. 

- Enjoy it either with your favourite naans or rice!