Chicken Korma Simplified

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A traditional tasting fragrant, balanced, smoky homestyle Chicken Korma simplified so you can have Korma (or Qorma) anytime!Chicken Korma in a bowl garnished with onions, naan in the background

I am pretty fond of my site tagline, but if I wasn’t I would change it to traditional flavours made easier.

The ONE Ingredient that simplifies Korma

This Korma is another win. Creating Korma proves to be an easy task because the process remains straightforward. This takes both lots of aroma along with lengthy preparation time. The core tedious task when preparing Chicken Quorma involves onion caramelization. Qorma obtains its rich flavors from the onions which serve as the foundation of the dish yet their absence will result in an unsatisfactory curry.

What’s the solution? Pre fried onions of course. Now this is important – so pay attention.

Great pre fried onions consist only of onions and oil as their two components. Consuming these items will have a flavor similar to caramelized onions.

Most commercial onions received from retail stores typically come with coatings which our team finds unacceptable. The addition of coated onions will make your Korma thicken into an unpleasant texture. I apologize for using an awkward phrasing yet I lacked a sophisticated substitute for the word gloop.

Onions Aside: Other Chicken Korma Ingredients

chicken.. The taste experience of Korma will suffer when using boneless chicken instead of bone-in pieces. The taste of bones plays an essential role in developing proper texture and mouth sensation throughout this dish. Make ¾ pounds of boneless chicken work as a substitute for bone-in chicken when life’s unexpected events occur.

Ginger & Garlic Pastes: Yes, yes fresh is best, but if time isn’t on your side then paste works.

Spices: Korma is a balance between the earthiness of whole spices and the smokiness and spice of powdered ones. I cannot emphasize enough how lovely roasted coriander or bhunna dhania powder is in here (if you have it), but the real stars are that subtle nutmeg and mace.top down view of qorma ingredients

K-what?: Kewra. The substance results from oil extraction of male screwpine flower distillation. I cannot recognize the unusual plant by name but I know Kewra carries its unique scent which brings pleasure as I bake these tikiyaan.

Yoghurt serves as the only condiment for Korma both in my family and my husband’s household and tomatoes remain absent. My preference for chicken curry lies in its yogurt-based simplicity rather than the inclusion of tomatoes which I do not mind but prefer pure yogurt.

How to Caramelize Onions

To fry your onions begin by using a wide bottomed pot and adding one inch of oil into the container. Add onions to heated oil at medium temperature when it reaches shimmering consistency while slightly elevating the heat setting. Warm oil should be used for caramelizing onions because cold oil promotes water release which extends the time and diminishes the final taste quality.

Maintain heat and stir occasionally until your onions are a rich brown then remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and spread out on paper towels to dry.prefried onions

How to make Chicken Korma

Armed with your onions? Let’s go. Heat about ¼ cup of oil on medium high heat. While that’s heating crush your fried onions roughly by hand and mix in your yoghurt.

Drop your whole spices into heated oil, follow it with your ginger and garlic paste, give that a quick whirl to cook through.

To prepare the chicken we need to saute it until it gets properly finished to the desired state. Small color transformations matter the most when it comes to achieving the ideal result. After applying your powdered spices continue cooking for another minute to blend the seasonings properly.

Stir in that yoghurt onion mix of yours, give it a little bhunnofying action (bhunna=to saute but with personality you know). Once it’s all looking besties like, then add in half a cup of hot water, cover the dish and bring it to a boil. Drop the temperature and simmer for 25 minutes or until the chicken is tender.

You have accomplished most of your work. To complete your task just add garam masala as well as a small amount of kewra before stirring the mixture and tasting. The ability to adjust to personal preferences together with adjusting for memory remains the most essential step.

Last step: totally optional is to skim off a little oil. The cooking process requires generous oil, but that doesn’t mean you have to eat it!Prepared Chicken Quorma

Chicken Korma Simplified

Traditional flavours, easier methods – this Chicken Korma recipe creates a Korma that is smoky, comforting and delicious!

Ingredients

  • 1.5-2 lb bone in chicken pieces
  • 1 cup pre fried onions ( see notes for regular)
  • 1 tbsp ginger (better: 1 inch piece grated)
  • 1 tbsp garlic (better: 8 freshly crushed cloves)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp coriander powder (roasted coriander is amazing if you have it)
  • 1 tsp red chili powder (cayenne)
  • 1-2 whole black cardamom pods
  • 5 cardamom pods
  • 1 inch piece cinnamon stick
  • 4-6 whole cloves
  • 8-10 whole black pepper
  • 1 bay leaf
  • ½ cup yoghurt (whisked well and at room temperature)
  • a few drops kewra essence
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • ½ tsp pepper

Instructions

  • Crush your prefried onions by hand and mix into your yoghurt and set aside.
  • Heat ¼ cup oil on medium hight heat and add your dry whole spices – both cardamoms, cloves, black pepper, cinnamon stick, and bay leaf. Let it sizzle for about a minute.
  • Once the spices have perfumed the oil then add in the ginger and garlic and give it a quick stir.
  • Now add in your chicken pieces, turning them periodically until they have all changed colour.
  • Sprinkle on your powdered spices – salt, red chili powder, and coriander powder.
  • Saute for about a minute and then add in your yoghurt and onion mix, stirring well to combine.
  • Add in half a cup of water and bring it to a simmer, cook on low for 25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
  • Uncover your pan and raise the heat to medium until you see the oil separate from the base for that rich korma taste.
  • Adjust consistency to your liking and add kewra, garam masala powder, and pepper and adjust seasoning. Serve hot with naan.    Notes
    You should thin-cut two onions measuring medium to large in size which are about the size of a tennis ball or larger. Put half a cup of oil into a wide-bottomed pot at medium-high heat before stirring onions until they brown while continuously mixing them. Allow the mixture to spread across a surface before using it in your preparations.