Murgh Korma
Quick Chicken KormaWhen trying to cook fast, it helps to have all the right utensils to hand. Here, a blender to make the ginger–garlic paste and a frying pan that holds all the chicken in a single layer will be of great help. This dish can be made a day ahead of time and refrigerated. It reheats well.
Ingredients
- 4 cm 1½in piece fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
- 5 –6 garlic cloves peeled and coarsely chopped
- 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 bay leaves
- 5 cm 2in cinnamon stick
- 8 cardamom pods
- 4 cloves
- ¼ teaspoon black cumin seeds
- 120 g 4½oz onions, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 3 tinned plum tomatoes chopped
- 1.5 kg 3lb chicken pieces, skinned and cut into serving portions
- ¼ –1 teaspoon chilli powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons single cream
Instructions
- Put the ginger, garlic and 3 tablespoons water in the container of an electric blender. Blend until you have a smooth paste.
- Put the oil in a wide frying pan or sauté pan and set over high heat. When very hot, put in the bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamom pods, cloves and cumin seeds. Stir once or twice and add the onions. Stir and fry for about 3 minutes or until the onions turn brownish. Add the paste from the blender, and the ground coriander and ground cumin, and fry for a minute. Add the chopped tomatoes and fry for another minute. Add the chicken pieces, chilli powder, salt and 250ml (8fl oz) water. Bring to a boil. Cover, turn the heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes, turning the chicken pieces over now and then.
- Remove the cover, add the cream and cook on high heat for another 7–8 minutes or until the sauce has thickened. Stir gently as you do this.
