Chicken pista korma - Indian curry series 5

To understand a "korma," we need to first delve into the history of what it is NOT. When Indians travelled abroad, mainly to the UK and America, they opened restaurants that followed a formula for success. The menu comprised a spicy vindaloo, butter chicken as the medium option, and a light creamy korma. These kormas were bland, easy, and cheap to make and did not resemble a true korma in any sense.

So, what is a korma? The korma originated in India after the invasion of the Mughals (10th century AD), and the term is derived from the Persian askhorma, qorma, or kurma. It is a decadent curry of meat braised in cream, milk or yoghurt with mild spices and usually ground nuts that help thicken the curry. This dish was made in the king's kitchen, so it was rich, filled with expensive ingredients, nuts, saffron and other exotic essence flavourings, and usually covered in edible gold or silver leaf. There are vegetarian kormas, too, the most popular being the navratan korma.

This specific korma is probably one of the best curries I have enjoyed. It is everything a great korma should be—without the gold and silver, though! Tender chicken is slow simmered in a rich curry with loads of ground pistachios and cilantro until creamy and delicious. I serve it with naan and a touch of spicy mango pickle, but it is also just as good with rice.

This curry is just as delicious as a vegetarian dish made with paneer.

Rasika is a beautiful cookbook of contemporary Indian flavours. The chef has taken a variety of fabulous recipes and presented them in a modern setting, like this raita. I recommend this book to those who want something different on their table.

For more wonderful recipes from this cookbook, click here.

Ingredients:

1 large onion, about 2 cups, sliced

2 cups water

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup whole milk yogurt

1 green bell pepper, I prefer a poblano pepper, seeded and diced

2-3 green chillies, Thai or other, or to taste

3/4 cup cilantro, stems and leaves

1 cup pistachios

1/2-3/4 cup water

2-3 tablespoons oil

1 tablespoon garlic paste

3/4 tablespoon ginger paste

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 lbs chicken, your choice of legs, thighs or breast

Salt to taste

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons cup pistachios

Fresh cilantro, minced (Optional)

Add the sliced onions and salt to a pan with the water. Simmer gently for 10-12 minutes until the onions are very soft. Cool. Add the yogurt and puree the mix until very smooth in a small blender or hand blender.

Add the bell peppers, chillies, cilantro and pistachios to a small blender with minimal water to make a smooth puree. Add enough water so the ingredients do not stick to the sides but settle and are pureed well. Set aside.

Fry the chicken, with skin if preferred, in a frying pan with one teaspoon of oil till lightly browned all over. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a pot. Add the ginger and garlic, and cook over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Do not brown. Add the onion puree and bring to a gentle simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the ground pepper, chilli, cilantro, and pistachio paste and simmer for another 10 minutes. At this point, the curry should be quite thick with the texture of heavy cream. It is critical to remember that this is a very delicate curry. Never allow it to boil; it should always gently simmer on a medium or low stove. Also, you need to pay attention and stir this sauce frequently.

Add the chicken or paneer and simmer closed until the meat is cooked through, about 30 minutes for chicken or 15 minutes for paneer. If the curry is too thick and starting to stick to the bottom of the pot, you can add a touch of water.

Add the cream and whole pistachios, keeping some to garnish, and stir in well. Take the curry off the stove and taste for salt. Serve garnished with pistachio nuts and cilantro, with rice or naan bread.