Now my family has started saying “Asha, you have not cooked chicken korma till date”. You should have made a chicken korma recipe. When I say family here I mean my husband, children, friends, relatives. So I thought, first let’s make the family happy. And let’s cook chicken korma. Then I thought to myself, why cook chicken korma? It’s such an easy recipe. Then I realized no, no, no!
I thought let’s make murgh Awadhi korma. So I present to you, Lucknow style chicken korma. Don’t confuse in murgh Awadhi korma and chicken korma, both are the same.
About Chicken Korma
Often people get intimidated and worried about cooking a korma. Korma means cooked. And if anything is cooked with yogurt-like meat, chicken, vegetables. If cooked in a curd/yogurt base, it is called a korma.
Some believe that the korma has its origins in the Persian “Khoresh”. While others claim that Korma came from central Asia. Whether Korma came from Khoresh or Mongolia. But countries like India, Pakistan actually gave the korma it’s a definition. And cities like Hyderabad, Lahore, Lucknow gave the korma it’s own unique flavor. For instance, in the korma cooked in Lucknow. Some argue that it cannot be made without adding Chironji. Particularly in a murgh Awadhi korma or that if you don’t smoke it.
So, the moral of the story is that you can cook a korma. It’s a simple recipe. Yogurt and nuts, a dish made by combining yogurt and nuts. And cooked with a combination of spices usually qualifies as a korma.
What Are The 2 Main Components?
In any korma, it has two main components. The first is, a paste of nuts, and second is the second is a combination of yogurt and spices. Curd/yogurt is added for sourness and not tomatoes! If someone brings a korma with tomatoes to you claiming it’s an authentic Lucknow style recipe. Bring that person to me. I will correct them!
See, the fact of the matter is, by the time potatoes and tomatoes became famous in India, Awadh was already under the British rule. And the British did not eat chicken korma. So it’s obvious that the korma pre-dates these ingredients.
So let’s first talk about the nut paste. The cuisine of Lucknow is cooked on the street as well as mansions and was also cooked in palaces. In the version of the korma cooked in palaces, the nut paste included, Chironji, Almonds, and cashew nuts. All three nuts are roasted. After frying in ghee, when they turned light golden brown. They were blended into a paste.
Now, this Chironji-Almonds-Cashew paste is an expensive proposition for small restaurants. So Chironji was omitted. Some cashew were used. And the rest was replaced with coconut. Because of it thickens and is inexpensive and poppy seeds. So the paste was made with poppy seeds, coconuts, and a few cashew nuts. So the nut paste can be either one with Chironji or this one (coconut). Both are good. The aim remains the same. To add richness.
And brown onion paste is an absolute must. To make brown onion, fried it, and then blended them with a dash of water.
Myth Breaking Question: Is it necessary to use cashew nuts in a korma?
It’s not at all necessary to use cashews in a korma. Actually, an authentic korma recipe will never use cashew nuts. Cashew nuts are not originally Indian ingredients. The Portuguese brought cashews to India and they talk us cashew cultivation. Primarily for the cashew fruit. We started harvesting the cashew nut much later. So all kormas were either made with Chironji paste or almond paste. Cashew paste was never used in Korma. So if someone claims that a korma with cashew paste is an authentic recipe. Then you correct them by informing them that the cashew is not ours. It arrived in India much later. Therefore it’s possible that their korma recipe also arrived much later.
Steps For Making Chicken Korma Recipe
Equipment
- Pan
Ingredients
For Gravy
- 1 kg Chicken Pieces
- 3-4 tbsp Oil
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 3 Green Cardamom Pods
- 6 Black Pepper
- 3 Cloves
- 1 Cinnamon Piece
- 2 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
- ¼ Cup Brown Onion Paste
- ¼ Cup Brown Cashew Nut & Chironji Paste
- ¼ tbsp Mace & Green Cardamom Powder
- ¼ tbsp Rose Water
- ¼ tbsp Kewra Water
- Salt to taste
For Curd Mixture
- 1 Cup Curd
- ½ tbsp Turmeric Powder
- 1 tbsp Coriander Powder
- 1 tbsp Kashmiri Red Chili Powder
Instructions
- In a hot pan add oil, bay leaves, green cardamom pods, black pepper, cloves, cinnamon piece, and saute it.
- Now add chicken and once the chicken slightly cooked then add ginger garlic paste, salt, and mix it.
- On the other side, take a mixing bowl and add curd, turmeric powder, coriander powder, Kashmiri red chili powder and mix it well. Now add it into a pan and mix with chicken and cook it together for a minute.
- Now add brown onion paste, brown cashew nut & Chironji paste, and mix it.
- After that add mace & green cardamom powder, rose water, kewra water.
- Now cook it until chicken cooked and if you want more gravy in it then you add water as required.
Notes
Also, try other Indian Main Course recipes: