As far as I know, Korma is an imperative. If you know how to make a good Korma, you can make almost any Mughlai food. My Muslim friends insist that Korma is the basis for many recipes, including the Yakhni (a yoghurt and saffron-based meat broth). Korma is basically braised mutton, stewed in spices, fried onions and beaten curd. It's a dish often reserved for special occasions, just like briyani. However, nowadays, Korma is mostly made on weekends i well-heeled Muslim homes in Hyderabad, Lucknow and Agra, where adding rich nuts, like cashews goes without saying. The cashew paste adds a silky richness to the Korma. Making it with chicken adds a feather to your cap of health.
RECIPE
INGREDIENTS
500 gm chicken
2 medium-sized onions, thinly chopped
1/2 cup plain yoghurt, beaten
1/2 cup cashew paste
1/4 cup fresh cream
2 tsp ginger, sliced
1/2 cup grated coconut
3-4 green chillies
2 garlic cloves
3-4 green cardamoms
2 tbsp poppy seeds (khus khus)
1/4 cup oil
1 tsp salt
Hint: 40 Mins; Serves 2; roti, chapati or hot bread
METHOD
In a mixer, add poppy seeds, grated coconut, garlic, green cardamom, salt and green chillies. Grind the ingredients to a paste, pouring a little water.
Heat oil in a pan and stir-fry the thinly chopped onions until they become transclucent.
Add the chopped ginger and chicken and fry with the onions. Before the colour of the chicken starts to change, add the beaten yoghurt and cashew paste. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Now, add the ground paste to the chicken and mix it well.
Cover the chicken and cook till it is tender and all the spices have cooked and blended well. Once the chicken is done, add fresh cream and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Serve hot.
KORI CHICKEN SUKKA
A small village called Katapady near Udipi. The backwaters of the Udyavara river flowing through lush paddy fields. A settlement of alluvial huts separated by grassy fences. A young lady drying rotis in the afternoon sun. I was about to make my greatest discovery. Chicken, as I have often said, is not my choice of meat, but a robustly flavoured dry coconut curry called Kori Chicken Sukka changed my mind. And that's what the young lady drying rotis cooked for me in an earthen pot on a wood fire.
Kori Roti, also known as Kori Ghashi, is a Mangalorean comfort food. The curry itself is dry (sukka), mildy and delicately spiced and its smooth texture delightfully intruded upon by coarse coconut.
RECIPE
INGREDIENTS
1 kg chicken
2 cups onion, sliced
12 garlic cloves
30 roasted kashmiri red chillies
1/2-inch ball of tamarind
11/2 cup coconut
1-inch cinnamon stick
3-4 cloves
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2 tbsp roasted coriander seeds
2 tsp roasted cumin seeds
1 tsp roasted peppercorns
1 tsp roasted fenugreek seeds
1/2 tsp poppy seeds (khus-khus)
Salt to taste
Hint: 40 mins; Serves 4; mangalorean roti or pav
METHOD
Heat a shallow pan on medium heat and add oil. Add poppy seeds, cloves and cinnamon and stir for a few seconds. Add half a cup of sliced onions. Fry for a minute or so. Add turmeric and six garlic cloves. Fry till onions are soft. Add the rest of the spices, including coriander seeds, one tsp cumin seeds, peppercorns and fenugreek. Frying till you smell their aroma. Add red chillies and tamarind and fry for a minute. When this cools, grind onions, red chilli and spice mixture into a fine paste.
In another large vessel, rub half this masala paste into the chicken. Place pan on medium heat. Add the rest of the onions and salt and mix well. Cover the pan and cook on medium heat till the chicken is tender and cooked.
On an iron pan; roast coconut with the rest of the cumin seeds and six garlic cloves for two minutes. Cool the mixture and coarse grind it. Add this to the cooked chicken with half a cup of water. Cover and cook for 8 to 10 minutes.
BOMBAY CHICKEN CURRY
Any old English, pub in London will serve you a carry in its uniquely misunderstood style. The curry migrated to the UK with nostalgic sahibs returning to their homeland. It became a rage in the late 19th century, relished by those who had robust, Victorian appetites. Curry powder became available off the shelf and a brand called Selim's Curry Paste even advertised it as 'highly digestive, anti-billious, anti-spasmodic, anti-flatulent, soothing and invigorating to the stomach and bowels'. Today, there are over 9,000 curry houses in the UK. The British version in saucy, creamy, sweet and often bereft of coconut. The recipe below is a real curry with coconut. It is also an adaptation attributed to Mumbai's mixed culture, spontaneity and wonderful recklessness.
RECIPE
INGREDIENTS
2 kg chicken
125 gm desiccated coconut
4 garlic pods, crushed
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
10 curry leaves
2 tbsp white vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp sugar
Hint: 60 mins; Serves 8; steamed rice or hot pav
METHOD
Clean, de-skin, wash and cut the chicken into two-inch pieces.
Place the chicken in a pan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Cover with a lid and slow-cook the chicken for about 30 minutes or until the chicken is tender.
Once the chicken is cooked, drian the stock and the keep aside. In another plan, heat oil and add vinegar, coconut, garlic, cumin seeds, turmeric, chilli, pepper, ginger and curry leaves. Saute the whole for about 2-3 minutes.
Add the chicken pieces, reserved stock and sugar. Bring to a boil and then cook on low flame. Let it simmer for 15 minutes till the curry thickens.
Serve hot.
GOMES CAFREAL
"From serving in the city's cafes and eating-places, Goans moved to join newly formed steamship companies and sailed the high seas as cooks, butlers and stewards. Here they perfected their skills mastering the art of confectionery and pastry-making, particularly under Italian professionals. The more venturesome utilised this expertise to set up independent cake-shops and restaurants in Bombay and other cities" (Albuquerque, 2014). In Post-British Mumbai, those who had any standing in society boasted of a Goan cook or butler, such as an Eddie or Gomes, who'd whisk up fine soffles, au gratins and potages. Then, there was also the legendary Miguel Arcanjo Mascarenhas or "Masci", who ruled at Taj Hotel as their first Indian 'Chef De Cuisine'.
RECIPE
INGREDIENTS
11/4 kg chicken
6 medium potatoes, boiled and halved
4 large tomatoes, halved
2 medium-sized onions, finely chopped
6 green chillies or peppers
11/4 inch ginger
10 garlic cloves
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp oil
Salt to taste
Hint: 15 mins; Serves 3; hot pav
METHOD
Grind the ginger, garlic, garam masala, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, green chillies, lemon juice, one chopped onion and salt to a paste. Coat the chicken with the paste and allow it to marinate for two hours.
In a pan, heat oil and saute the other chopped onion till pink. Now, add the marinated chicken and fry until both sides are brown. The chicken will need to be cooked for approximately 20 minutes.
In a separate pan, heat oil and fry the potatoes till they turn golden-brown.
Drain and set aside. In the same pan, lightly fry the halved tomatoes. Do not overcook the tomatoes.
Serve the chicken on a plate with fried potatoes and tomatoes.
RECIPE
INGREDIENTS
500 gm chicken
2 medium-sized onions, thinly chopped
1/2 cup plain yoghurt, beaten
1/2 cup cashew paste
1/4 cup fresh cream
2 tsp ginger, sliced
1/2 cup grated coconut
3-4 green chillies
2 garlic cloves
3-4 green cardamoms
2 tbsp poppy seeds (khus khus)
1/4 cup oil
1 tsp salt
Hint: 40 Mins; Serves 2; roti, chapati or hot bread
METHOD
In a mixer, add poppy seeds, grated coconut, garlic, green cardamom, salt and green chillies. Grind the ingredients to a paste, pouring a little water.
Heat oil in a pan and stir-fry the thinly chopped onions until they become transclucent.
Add the chopped ginger and chicken and fry with the onions. Before the colour of the chicken starts to change, add the beaten yoghurt and cashew paste. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Now, add the ground paste to the chicken and mix it well.
Cover the chicken and cook till it is tender and all the spices have cooked and blended well. Once the chicken is done, add fresh cream and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Serve hot.
KORI CHICKEN SUKKA
A small village called Katapady near Udipi. The backwaters of the Udyavara river flowing through lush paddy fields. A settlement of alluvial huts separated by grassy fences. A young lady drying rotis in the afternoon sun. I was about to make my greatest discovery. Chicken, as I have often said, is not my choice of meat, but a robustly flavoured dry coconut curry called Kori Chicken Sukka changed my mind. And that's what the young lady drying rotis cooked for me in an earthen pot on a wood fire.
Kori Roti, also known as Kori Ghashi, is a Mangalorean comfort food. The curry itself is dry (sukka), mildy and delicately spiced and its smooth texture delightfully intruded upon by coarse coconut.
RECIPE
INGREDIENTS
1 kg chicken
2 cups onion, sliced
12 garlic cloves
30 roasted kashmiri red chillies
1/2-inch ball of tamarind
11/2 cup coconut
1-inch cinnamon stick
3-4 cloves
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2 tbsp roasted coriander seeds
2 tsp roasted cumin seeds
1 tsp roasted peppercorns
1 tsp roasted fenugreek seeds
1/2 tsp poppy seeds (khus-khus)
Salt to taste
Hint: 40 mins; Serves 4; mangalorean roti or pav
METHOD
Heat a shallow pan on medium heat and add oil. Add poppy seeds, cloves and cinnamon and stir for a few seconds. Add half a cup of sliced onions. Fry for a minute or so. Add turmeric and six garlic cloves. Fry till onions are soft. Add the rest of the spices, including coriander seeds, one tsp cumin seeds, peppercorns and fenugreek. Frying till you smell their aroma. Add red chillies and tamarind and fry for a minute. When this cools, grind onions, red chilli and spice mixture into a fine paste.
In another large vessel, rub half this masala paste into the chicken. Place pan on medium heat. Add the rest of the onions and salt and mix well. Cover the pan and cook on medium heat till the chicken is tender and cooked.
On an iron pan; roast coconut with the rest of the cumin seeds and six garlic cloves for two minutes. Cool the mixture and coarse grind it. Add this to the cooked chicken with half a cup of water. Cover and cook for 8 to 10 minutes.
BOMBAY CHICKEN CURRY
Any old English, pub in London will serve you a carry in its uniquely misunderstood style. The curry migrated to the UK with nostalgic sahibs returning to their homeland. It became a rage in the late 19th century, relished by those who had robust, Victorian appetites. Curry powder became available off the shelf and a brand called Selim's Curry Paste even advertised it as 'highly digestive, anti-billious, anti-spasmodic, anti-flatulent, soothing and invigorating to the stomach and bowels'. Today, there are over 9,000 curry houses in the UK. The British version in saucy, creamy, sweet and often bereft of coconut. The recipe below is a real curry with coconut. It is also an adaptation attributed to Mumbai's mixed culture, spontaneity and wonderful recklessness.
RECIPE
INGREDIENTS
2 kg chicken
125 gm desiccated coconut
4 garlic pods, crushed
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
10 curry leaves
2 tbsp white vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp sugar
Hint: 60 mins; Serves 8; steamed rice or hot pav
METHOD
Clean, de-skin, wash and cut the chicken into two-inch pieces.
Place the chicken in a pan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Cover with a lid and slow-cook the chicken for about 30 minutes or until the chicken is tender.
Once the chicken is cooked, drian the stock and the keep aside. In another plan, heat oil and add vinegar, coconut, garlic, cumin seeds, turmeric, chilli, pepper, ginger and curry leaves. Saute the whole for about 2-3 minutes.
Add the chicken pieces, reserved stock and sugar. Bring to a boil and then cook on low flame. Let it simmer for 15 minutes till the curry thickens.
Serve hot.
GOMES CAFREAL
"From serving in the city's cafes and eating-places, Goans moved to join newly formed steamship companies and sailed the high seas as cooks, butlers and stewards. Here they perfected their skills mastering the art of confectionery and pastry-making, particularly under Italian professionals. The more venturesome utilised this expertise to set up independent cake-shops and restaurants in Bombay and other cities" (Albuquerque, 2014). In Post-British Mumbai, those who had any standing in society boasted of a Goan cook or butler, such as an Eddie or Gomes, who'd whisk up fine soffles, au gratins and potages. Then, there was also the legendary Miguel Arcanjo Mascarenhas or "Masci", who ruled at Taj Hotel as their first Indian 'Chef De Cuisine'.
RECIPE
INGREDIENTS
11/4 kg chicken
6 medium potatoes, boiled and halved
4 large tomatoes, halved
2 medium-sized onions, finely chopped
6 green chillies or peppers
11/4 inch ginger
10 garlic cloves
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp oil
Salt to taste
Hint: 15 mins; Serves 3; hot pav
METHOD
Grind the ginger, garlic, garam masala, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, green chillies, lemon juice, one chopped onion and salt to a paste. Coat the chicken with the paste and allow it to marinate for two hours.
In a pan, heat oil and saute the other chopped onion till pink. Now, add the marinated chicken and fry until both sides are brown. The chicken will need to be cooked for approximately 20 minutes.
In a separate pan, heat oil and fry the potatoes till they turn golden-brown.
Drain and set aside. In the same pan, lightly fry the halved tomatoes. Do not overcook the tomatoes.
Serve the chicken on a plate with fried potatoes and tomatoes.
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