Most people I know have only experienced chicken korma cooked in the northern style. This recipe for the southern style, kozhi kurma, is typical of Andhra cuisine and is very different to the kormas served in restaurants.
The first difference is that it uses coconut milk instead of dairy products.
The second difference is that it is far more robustly spiced than you may be used to. It includes chilli, onion, garlic and turmeric, none of which feature in the northern style. If you are looking for the northern version, look at our recipe for Lucknow chicken korma.
How this recipe came to be in my grandmother’s notes is different from many of the recipes in this book. She and my grandfather had dined with some colleagues who had just moved back to Calcutta from Bombay. They had a cook from Andhra Pradesh and they ate this chicken korma that night. My grandfather was most taken with this dish, so the next time they went, my grandmother requested this dish, and asked if she and her then cook could watch its preparation.
You can only imagine how the poor cook must have felt, with two memsahibs and another cook observing him and asking question throughout the process.
Beyond my grandfather’s initial interest in the dish, it never really made it into the family cuisine. Her only subsequent notes referred only to how hot the dish was.
Yes, this dish can be quite fiery, although if you make it too hot you will lose some of the subtlety of the dish.
This dish is best served with simple accompaniments. Idli are a favourite item to serve with this in our household.
the recipe
about
equipment
equipment
- large bowl
- small frypan
- wide pan with lid
ingredients
ingredients
- 800 g chicken thigh fillets - cut into medium pieces
for the marinade
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp salt
for the masala
- 4 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 25 g raw cashews
- 3 red chillies - chopped
- 4 cloves garlic - chopped
- 20 g ginger - chopped
- ½ cup coconut - shredded
- 1 tsp white poppy seeds
- 1 tbsp gingelly oil - see notes
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 indian bay leaf
- 1 stick cassia - crumbled
- 4 green cardamom pods - broken open
- 4 cloves
- 12 curry leaves
- 6 shallots - finely chopped
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tomatoes - pulp removed and pureed
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- 200 ml thick coconut milk
for serving
- ½ tsp garam masala
- ½ cup coriander leaves - coarsely chopped
- ½ cup mint leaves - coarsely chopped
instructions
instructions
- Dry the chicken pieces with absorbent paper and place them into a large bowl. Sprinkle over the turmeric and salt. Mix well, ensuring an even coating on the chicken. Cover, refrigerate and marinate overnight800 g chicken thigh fillets – cut into medium pieces, 1 tsp ground turmeric, ½ tsp salt
to cook
- Heat a small frypan over medium heat. Add the coriander and cumin seeds and toss gently until the seeds start to colour and become aromatic. Remove from the heat, allow to cool then grind to a fine powder.4 tsp coriander seeds, 1 tsp cumin seeds
- In the same pan, toast half of the cashew nuts. Set aside.12 ½ g raw cashews
- Grind the red chillies, garlic and ginger with as little water as possible to make a thick paste. Set aside.3 red chillies – chopped, 4 cloves garlic – chopped, 20 g ginger – chopped
- Grind the coconut, remaining cashew nuts and poppy seeds with as little water as possible to make a thick paste. Set aside.12 ½ g raw cashews, ½ cup coconut – shredded, 1 tsp white poppy seeds
- Using a wide pan, heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add the fennel seeds, cumin seeds, bay leaf, crumbled cinnamon, cardamom pods and cloves. Allow to sizzle for 30 seconds. Add the curry leaves and stir.1 tbsp gingelly oil – see notes, 1 tsp fennel seeds, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 indian bay leaf, 1 stick cassia – crumbled, 4 green cardamom pods – broken open, 4 cloves, 12 curry leaves
- Add the chopped shallots, sprinkle with the salt and cook for ten minutes until they soften and the raw smell disappears. Add the garlic, ginger and chilli paste, stir well and cook for a further two minutes or until the raw smell disappears.6 shallots – finely chopped, 1 tsp salt
- Add the pureed tomato and cook for three minutes until the raw smell disappears. Add the ground coriander and cumin seeds and chilli powder. Mix well, and cook for another minute.2 tomatoes – pulp removed and pureed, 1 tsp red chilli powder
- Add the coconut, cashew and poppy seed paste to the pan, and mix well.
- Add the marinated chicken pieces and mix well. Increase heat to medium and cook for five minutes, stirring occasionally, allowing the chicken to colour.
- Add the coconut milk and bring the pan to a simmer. Reduce the heat, cover the pan and simmer for ten minutes, or until the chicken is cooked.200 ml thick coconut milk
to serve
- Remove from heat, then add the garam masala, coriander and mint leaves. Mix well, cover and leave for ten minutes for flavours to develop.½ tsp garam masala, ½ cup coriander leaves – coarsely chopped, ½ cup mint leaves – coarsely chopped
- Garnish with the reserved toasted cashews and serve.
notes
notes
private notes
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