Creamy Chicken Korma

Korma is a dish that we are all extremely familiar with and like many curries there are many different recipes and ideas out there pertaining to it. The main basis of the dish consists of meat or vegetables cooked in a sauce with yoghurt, cream, nuts, and spices. It is also commonplace to find a korma with coconut added. The ingredient of coconut in its many forms is used predominately in the southern regions in India in the five southern states but particularly in Kerala cuisine. Coconuts grow in abundance in the South West Indian state of Kerala and consequently coconut milk, cream, and grated coconut are used extensively for flavour and thickening. While this recipe is not exactly authentically Keralan it takes those elements, including the use of spicing and brings a curry that is very mild, simply spiced and yet luxuriously decadent. I designed and altered this recipe when cooking for my sister who requested a creamy curry but who’s not a chilli fan. However feel free to up the chilli powder content or add some chopped fresh green chilli, adding it along with the ginger and garlic at that stage of the recipe. As always I encourage you to give this simple recipe a go and experiment with its core ingredients by replacing the chicken with lamb, or perhaps trying a curry with potatoes and chickpeas. If you’re very conscious of the fats replace the cream with yoghurt or omit the creamed coconut. Or just eat it as it is, it tastes better and you’ll be fine.

Cumin and coriander provide the basis for the spices in this dish

Creamy Chicken Korma (Serves 2-4)

Ingredients

1 – 2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 medium onions, chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 thumb sized piece of ginger, peeled and finely grated

Ground Spices

¼ tsp chilli powder

1 tsp mild curry powder

2 tsp ground turmeric

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

2 free range chicken breasts, sliced into 1 inch pieces

50g/ 1 sachet creamed coconut

1 x 400g tin tomatoes or 400g passata

1 x 400ml tin of coconut milk (low fat or “light/mild” coconut milk is fine)

1 x Knorr chicken stockpot

2 tsp sugar

4 – 5 tbsp double cream

50g ground almonds

To Serve

Basmati Rice, chopped fresh coriander, and toasted flaked almonds (optional)

Method

1. Put a large frying pan on a high heat and add the oil. Add the onion, turn the heat down to medium and cook for 10 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic, and continue to fry gently for another 2-3 minutes
2. Add all the ground spices and stir through, adding a splash of water is they start to stick to the bottom of the pan. Next add in the creamed coconut and stir to combine before adding the tin of tomatoes/tomato passata, the coconut milk, sugar and the stockpot. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Add the chicken to the sauce, bring to the boil again, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
4. Add the ground almonds, mixing through the sauce completely before finishing with the double cream. Taste and season accordingly. Serve with basmati rice and chopped fresh coriander, and toasted flaked almonds if you’d like.

Creamy Chicken Korma

Topped with toasted flaked almonds for added crunch and texture