Chicken Korma Recipe
This Pakistani Chicken Korma is a real palate sooth culinary; the blend of some traditional spices with yogurt infuses into the chicken and makes it much more tender. The gravy of this Korma will blow your senses, and it’s so much tangy than the rest of the recipes on the internet.
After the Chicken Karahi, the next cherished chicken recipe is the chicken Korma. I’m a big fan of this traditional cuisine, and homies always insist on cooking it on Sunday.
Unlike the Chicken Nihari, Karahi, or other chicken recipes, the Korma has a tangy taste that promises to purify your taste buds with pure delight. The oily layer on a korma plate is another spice blast that will make you drool.
And guess what? The enticing aroma of chicken korma always awakens the appetite, and soon enough, your neighbors will be asking for a plate, too. I’m also using a small amount of kewra oil to make the aroma more appealing.
This recipe will be your best, as I have implemented a lot of easy stuff to take it to the next level. So stick with the recipe, and you will thank me.
Why Will You Love Chicken Korma?
- Warmth & Rich Taste: Chicken Korma is made by sautéing onion, and I use some cardamoms, cloves, cumin seeds, and paprika spice; all these ingredients make the curry too warm and rich like Chicken Tikka Masala.
- Satisfying: This chicken curry is much more satisfying than any other chicken recipe. The overpowering, savory, umami and tangy taste makes it a nuanced flavor recipe.
- Easy To Make: Korma is also an easy-to-make recipe, even though it requires some additional spices compared to other chicken recipes. The process of making it is a breeze.
- Versatile: The taste of Korma can vary across different cities in Pakistan and India because this recipe is versatile, and you can substitute or subtract ingredients according to your taste.
Related Post: Chicken Salan Recipe
The Origin Of Chicken Korma?
Like the Nihari, the Chicken Korma comes from the Indian Subcontinent. This 16th-century cuisine has always remained popular throughout the entire Mughal empire. And now, it’s a notable recipe that is often served in ceremonies, invitations, or dawts.
Traditionally, the Chicken korma is prepared from sautéed onions and bloom spices and later blended with yogurt to bring depth.
Nowadays, people use store-bought korma masala to save time. You can also use readymade masala to ignore the long list of spices.
Check Out: White Chicken Korma Recipe
What Makes Chicken Korma Special?
This question seems to be crucial for novices: what is the prime thing that can elevate the flavor and aroma of chicken korma?
Well, the taste, texture, hues, and gravy of Chicken Korma all depend on the sautéed onions, spices, and garam masala that we infuse in the middle of a recipe.
Further, the kewra essence is a secret way to make our korma curry more aromatic and flavorful. Yogurt is another prime ingredient that gives Korma a creamy flavor and thick texture.
Keeping the flame low is another go-to tip that cooks the juices inside the chicken and makes it more tender.
Difference Between Chicken Korma & Chicken Karahi?
After Butter Chicken and Chicken Tikka Masala, Chicken Korma is one of the controversial recipes in India.
The major difference that sets apart chicken korma from chicken karahi is the usage of tomatoes. In karahi, we explode tomato paste to make our gravy more savory. But in chicken korma, we only use onions to give it a savory taste.
Also, for chicken karahi, you don’t need a huge list of spices; it’s a simple dump-and-go type recipe. But chicken korma demands a huge life of traditional spices.
I’ve also write a detail guide on difference between chicken korma and butter chicken.
Ingredients:
- Chicken: For chicken korma, you can use both boneless and bone-in chicken, and I’m using a mix of both. One tip here is to always go for small chicken pieces to make every bite more tender and juicy.
- Cooking Oil: To fry the chicken and cook this curry, you need oil, and you can use any type of cooking oil.
- Onions: This is a prime ingredient for Chicken Korma. Onions introduce an overpowering taste and brownish texture in the gravy. I use the knife for slicing the onions.
- Garlic & Ginger: You can use any type of meshing technique to get the garlic and ginger paste; I did it with mortar & pestle. I have also added one green chili to the paste to intensify it.
- Yogurt: I blend a few tablespoons of yogurt in chicken korma to make the gravy creamy and umami.
- Spices: I’m using store-bought Korma masala to free myself from clutches of spices. But besides this spice, you need a few additional ground spices, including paprika powder (Kashmiri Red Mirch), Dry coriander powder, and salt.
- Garam Masala: In this category, I’m still adopting simplicity. Just cumin seeds, fennel seeds, cardamom, cloves, and bay leaves are enough to bring a worthwhile flavor profile.
- Kewra & Almonds: To give a more traditional touch to this culinary, I’m using kewra essence and almonds. Kewra will change the entire game and make your recipes stand out among hundreds of other recipes.
How To Prepared Chicken Korma
- Sauté Onions: Heat the pan and add the oil. Transfer the sliced onions to heated oil and sauté until they turn brown. It could take 3 – 4 minutes, depending on the type of onions. Once the onions turn golden, remove them from the pan and chop them in a food processor.
- Garlic Ginger Paste & Garam Masala: Add garlic ginger paste to that heated oil and stir it quickly. At the same time, add the garam masala (cumin seeds, fennel seeds, cardamom, cloves, etc.). Turn the flame to medium and stir it for one minute.
- Adding Chicken: Add the chicken to the pan and mix it well. I prefer to mix it for one minute so that the robust flavor of garam masala infuses into the chicken pieces. Next, simmer it for 5 minutes on medium flame.
- Add Spices: Reduce the heat and incorporate all the ground spices. Adding a few drops of water prevents burning and ensures the spices are absorbed, making the meat juicy and tender.
- Add Yogurt: To uplift the texture of gravy, I’m adding 3 – 4 tablespoons of yogurt. Stir the stew well so that the moisture of the yogurt perfectly infuses into the gravy. Let the stew simmer for 6 minutes on medium flame. During that time, stir and close the lid occasionally.
- Add Onions & Water: Now our gravy is ready, let’s add chopped onions (that we sautéed in step 1), some green chilies, and half a glass of water. The water will cook the chicken and balance the fluffiness and density of the gravy. Now, stir the mixture for one minute.
- In the final step, I’m adding minced ginger, Almonds, and Kewra essence; all these ingredients make the chicken korma more flavorful and aromatic. After adding this ingredient, let it simmer for 4 – 5 minutes on a low flame.
Some More Tips For Making Chicken Korma Special
- For extra spicyness and tanginess, drizzle a few tablespoons of pickle oil on the top Korma.
- Add a few drops of Kewra oil to the gravy to make the chicken Korma more aromatic. If you’re living in the USA or UK, you won’t find this item in the utility store, but don’t worry; you can simply catch it from Amazon.
- Ensure that the almonds are peeled before adding them. First, soak almonds in boiling water for 5 minutes to speed up the peeling process, making it easier to remove the skins.
- Don’t use tomatoes and turmeric powder in Chicken Korma. Both these ingredients change the authentic flavor and color of this recipe.
FAQs
What To Serve With Chicken Korma?
Mostly, Pakistani and Indian recipes are served with Roti, naan, or chapati. A warm roti with tangy chicken korma is just a next-level appetizing experience.
Folks also love to serve mint chutney, Rita, and white rice with Chicken Korma. It’s a main dish of the South, so you can serve some other appetizers or side dishes with it.
Other Chicken Recipes:
Chicken Korma
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs Chicken (0.6Kg)
- 2 Onions
- 1 tsp Garlic paste
- 1 tsp Ginger paste
- 5 Almonds
- ¼ tsp Kewra
- ½ tsp Paprika powder (Kashmiri Red Chili)
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds powder
- 1 tsp Dry coriander powder
- 1 tsp Salt
- 2 Bay leaves
- 1 tsp Korma Masala (Store-bought)
- 3 Green Chilies
- 4 Cloves
- 2 Cardamoms
- ⅓ tsp Fennel seeds
Instructions
- First, heat the oil in a pan and sauté the sliced onions until golden (3-4 mins). Now, Remove those golden onions and transfer them into a food processor.
- Now, toss the garlic-ginger paste into the heated oil and give it a quick stir. Simultaneously, sprinkle in the Garam masala (cumin seeds, fennel seeds, cardamom, cloves, etc.). Adjust the flame to medium and stir for a minute.
- Toss in the chicken and give it a good mix—about a minute to let those rich garam masala flavors soak into the pieces. Then, simmer on a medium flame for 5 minutes.
- Lower the heat and mix in all the ground spices. I added a few drops of water to prevent burning and ensure the spices were absorbed, keeping the meat juicy and tender.
- I throw in 3-4 tablespoons of yogurt to enhance the gravy's texture. Stir the stew thoroughly, ensuring the yogurt's moisture blends seamlessly into the gravy. Allow it to simmer for 6 minutes on medium flame, stirring occasionally and covering with a lid.
- Gravy done! Add the sautéed ground onions, green chilies, and half a glass of water. This water cooks the chicken, balancing the gravy's fluffiness and density. Stir the mix for a minute.
- I toss in minced ginger, almonds, and a dash of Kewra essence for the finishing touch. These ingredients elevate the flavor and aroma of the chicken korma. Let it simmer on low flame for 4-5 minutes.
