Creamy Fragrant Chicken Korma

As tempting as it may be, we can’t live just on delicious Christmas sweets and treats alone, though, at this time of year, I also want my savoury meals to be beautifully spiced, pungent with enticing aromas, and what better recipe than this Creamy Fragrant Chicken Korma?

I adore curries of all varieties. Years of traipsing up and down the curry-lovers-paradise that is London’s Brick Lane opened my eyes to all the wonderful varieties out there, but when I want a real comfort fix, a big soft feather duvet of a curry, I always turn back to that classic, chicken korma.

While many people think of a korma with its delicate spice and gentle heat as a ‘beginner curry’ it actually has a proud history as a court dish of the Mughal Empire. Layers of fragrant spices create a thick and flavoursome sauce for juicy chicken which has been tenderised by yoghurt, served with aromatic basmati rice and the bright, clean flavour of coriander – is your mouth watering yet? Mine is!

I think what puts a lot of people off making curries at home is the long list of ingredients, the idea of grinding whole spices, and the thought of slaving for hours over a hot stove when actually this needn’t be the truth. I’ve simplified this recipe so it can be made easily for a week night dinner, coming together in around half an hour.

If you are feeling particularly organised, whip up the marinade the night before, let the chicken have a good long soak in it overnight, then it’s simply a matter of getting some rice on and throwing the rest in a pan to simmer away quietly while you relax with a well-earned glass of wine.

Take care out there, and happy cooking! xJ.

Let me know if you try this recipe in the comments below, or using the hashtag #daysofjay on Instagram. Happy cooking!

Creamy Fragrant Chicken Korma

Jay Wadams

My all-time favourite curry, Chicken Korma is a true crowd-pleaser with mellow spice and plenty of delicious sauce. It may seem like a lot of ingredients, but the sauce only takes moments in the food processor and is miles better than anything from a jar – try it and see the difference!

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5 from 3 votes

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Serves 4

Ingredients

 

for the sauce:

• ▢ 300 ml tomato passata, (see note 1)
• ▢ 200 ml yoghurt
• ▢ 75 g whole almonds
• ▢ 2-3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• ▢ 3 cm piece of ginger, peeled and chopped
• ▢ 1 Tbsp garam masala
• ▢ 2 tsp sugar
• ▢ 1 tsp spicy paprika or cayenne pepper
• ▢ 1 tsp turmeric powder
• ▢ 1 tsp ground coriander
• ▢ 1.5 tsp sea salt

for the curry:

• ▢ 600 g boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• ▢ 1 Tbsp neutral oil, sunflower etc.
• ▢ 25 g unsalted butter
• ▢ 1 large brown onion, roughly chopped
• ▢ 2 Tbsp sultanas
• ▢ 100 ml cream

to serve:

• ▢ steamed basmati rice, 400g uncooked rice + 900ml cold water
• ▢ 1 tsp butter
• ▢ ¼ tsp salt
• ▢ small bunch coriander / cilantro

Instructions

 

• Combine all sauce ingredients in the bowl of a food processor, then process on high until you have a smooth sauce – the almonds will make it a little gritty looking but this gives it a lovely texture later (see note 2).
• Cut the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces, about 2cm square, then place in a bowl with the blended sauce. Stir well to combine. At this point for maximum flavour you can marinate the chicken for a couple of hours, otherwise, simply continue with the recipe.
• Place a large, deep-sided pan over medium heat, add the oil and butter and cook until the butter has melted and begun to bubble. Add the onion to the pan and cook, gently for 5 minutes until softened but not browned.
• After 5 minutes, pour the chicken and all of the sauce into the pan, stir through the sultanas and allow to simmer with a tightly fitting lid for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the curry from catching. Keep an eye on it as it cooks and add a splash of water if necessary.
• Meanwhile, make your rice by combining rice, water, butter and salt in a saucepan. Bring to the boil then cover with a close-fitting lid and turn the heat down as low as possible (if you are using a glass topped or ceramic stove you will need to move it to a fresh element on low as otherwise, it will bubble over). Allow to cook for 10 minutes, then turn off the heat.
• When the korma has cooked for 15 minutes, remove the lid and stir in the cream. Cook for another 5 minutes, uncovered, then remove from the heat. Check the seasoning and add salt or a squeeze of lemon juice to taste.
• Use a fork to fluff up the rice, then serve with the korma, sprinkled generously with fresh coriander / cilantro.

Notes

Note 1: If you can’t get any tomato passata simply use whole tinned tomatoes – just give them a whizz in the processor first to break them up.

Note 2: This dish can absolutely be made without a food processor! Simply whisk the ingredients together, and chop the almonds as finely as possible. If you have time, soak the almonds for 30 minutes or so in cold water to soften them.

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Tried this recipe?I’d love to hear how it went! Please leave a review or a star rating and let me know how it was! Use the hashtag #daysofjay on Instagram so I can see your delicious creations.

Course | Main Course

Cuisine | Indian

Ⓒ | Jay Wadams

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CREAMY FRAGRANT CHICKEN KORMA

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