Chicken Korma

Korma is a type of curry, made with meat or vegetables cooked in a flavorful sauce.  You can vary the type of vegetables you like, or opt for lamb, shrimp or in this case chicken.  If you've ever eaten at an Indian food buffet, chances are you've had Korma.  You know from past posts like Butter Chicken and Homemade Naan Bread that we are huge fans of Indian food around here.  This type of cuisine always seems complicated to me and I'm guessing it's due to either number of spices in a recipe or simply because they aren't spices that are usually in my wheelhouse and for some reason I equate exotic spice with difficulty.  Which isn't the case with this recipe at all.  It's quite simple to make and easily changed around to accommodate any variety of meats or vegetables you have on hand.  You could easily leave out the meat altogether and substitute some hearty potatoes or cauliflower for a tasty veggie version too.  Serve with Basmati or Jasmine rice and a batch of my Homemade Naan Bread to soak up the sauce.  The creamy sauce and warm flavors are sure to satisfy.  Don't be afraid to try something new in your kitchen.  It's as simple as reaching into your spice cabinet!

A simple to make curry using chicken, or whatever
meats or vegetables you have on hand.

Everything cooks in one dish.

The resulting sauce is rich, creamy and flavorful.
Check out the BALTI DISH.

Serve over Basmati or Jasmine Rice with Naan Bread
for a satisfying meal.

CHICKEN KORMA

1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1 medium white onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger root, grated
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
salt and pepper to taste
1 pound chicken breasts, cubed
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup plain yogurt
chopped fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)

Melt shortening in a skillet over medium heat.  (I used my Balti dish from Le Creuset.  It is similar in cooking style to a wok, though the pan is native to the Pakistan area.  The cast iron has perfect heat distribution and the design of the pan is so pretty, I can serve out of it too!) Add onion and saute until golden, approximately 5 minutes.  Add garlic followed by the ginger, coriander, cumin, turmeric and salt & pepper.  Add the chicken and stir to coat well with spice mixture.  Cook for two minutes on medium then add tomato paste and yogurt.  Lower heat and continue cooking until chicken is done, approximately 20-25 minutes. Serve over cooked rice.  Garnish with chopped cilantro.

NOTE: This dish is easily doubled, and feel free to use whatever you have on hand.  Add some fresh peas toward the end of cooking, or add some diced carrots when you put the onion in.  If you opt for shrimp you'll need less cooking time.  If you opt for potatoes or cauliflower, par-cook those slightly before adding to the dish.  You can't go wrong with this basic curry!