Chicken Kurma
Restaurant-style Chicken Kurma built the proper way: slow-cooked onions, toasted spices and a gravy that clings to every piece of chicken. 45 minutes of mostly hands-off cooking.
Ingredients
- Chicken500 g, curry cut
- Ginger Garlic Paste1 tbsp
- Garam Masala1/2 tsp
- Saltto taste
- Onion1 large, finely chopped
- Tomato2, finely chopped
- Turmeric Powder1/2 tsp
- Mustard Seeds1 tsp
- Ground Coriander1 tsp
- Red Chili Powder1 tsp
- Coconut Oil2 tbsp
- Grated Coconut1/4 cup
- Green Cardamom3
Optional extras
- Fresh Cilantrohandful, to finish
Instructions
- 1
Heat the coconut oil in a heavy kadhai over medium heat until it shimmers.
- 2
Crackle the mustard seeds with a few curry leaves — they should pop within seconds.
- 3
Add the chopped onion and fry until deep golden, 6-8 minutes — this colour is the backbone of the gravy.
- 4
Stir in the ginger garlic paste and cook until the raw smell disappears, about a minute.
- 5
Tip in the turmeric, red chili powder, ground coriander and tomatoes; bhunao the masala, stirring often, until the oil separates at the edges.
- 6
Grind coconut with the spices for a mild, ivory-white kurma gravy.
- 7
Add the chicken and turn every piece through the masala, then pour in a cup of hot water; cover and simmer until perfectly tender, 25-30 minutes.
- 8
Season with salt, garam masala and reduce to the consistency you like.
- 9
Finish with fresh cilantro and serve hot with roti, paratha or steamed rice.
Chef's tip
Bhunao patiently — the moment the oil separates from the masala is when the real flavour begins.
/dish/11886Video: North Indian Chicken Korma · on YouTube