Chicken Korma (Murgh Korma)

I love Indian food. Vegetarian, non-vegetarian...I love it. I love kebabs and I wish I had a tandoori oven. Alton Brown had a suggestion for making a tandoori oven - must find that crazy episode. I digress - on to the fabulous recipe.

Bold italics = my notes/suggestions

Courtesy of Laxmi Hiremath.

Ingredients

• 1-½ inch piece fresh ginger
  
• 5 large garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  
• 1-½ cups thinly sliced onion
  
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  
• 2 inch cinnamon stick
  
• 10 whole cloves
  
• 8 green cardamom pods
  
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
  
• 1 scant teaspoon ground fennel
  
• ½ teaspoon cayenne
  
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
  
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  
• 2 cups finely chopped tomatoes
  
• ¼ cup roasted unsalted cashews
  
• 1 cup plain yogurt
  
• 1 teaspoon salt
  Sprigs of cilantro, for garnish

SHOPPING LIST

CONDIMENTS & OIL
Vegetable oil, 1 fl oz.

DAIRY
Unsalted butter, 1.01 oz.
Plain yogurt, 8.75 oz.

POULTRY
Chicken breast (skinless, boneless), 32 oz.

SPICES & SEASONINGS
Salt, 0.22 oz.
Cardamom, 8 pods
Cinnamon, 2 inch stick
Cloves, 10 whole
Coriander seeds, 0.12 oz.
Paprika (sweet), 0.08 oz.
Turmeric, 0.04 oz.

VEGETABLES
Fennel (ground), 0.06 oz.
Garlic, 5 large cloves
Ginger root, 1.5 inch piece
Onion, 8.57 oz.
Tomato, 12.86 oz.

MISCELLANEOUS
Cayenne, 0.5 tsp.
Roasted unsalted cashews, 0.25 cup
Sprigs of cilantro, for garnish


 METHOD

1. Combine the ginger and garlic with 3 to 4 tablespoons water in a blender. Blend to a smooth paste, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl a couple of times. Set aside.
   
   
2. Heat the oil in a heavy large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until deep golden, 8 to 10 minutes.
   
   
3. Transfer to a plate. Add the butter to the pan and, when hot add the ginger-garlic paste. Cook, stirring, until the mixture is fragrant and light brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the cinnamon, cloves and cardamom pods and stir for a few seconds.
   
   
4. Add the coriander, paprika, fennel, cayenne, turmeric and cook stirring until the masala takes on a beautiful orange-red color and becomes fragrant, about 30 seconds.
   
   
5. Add the chicken and sear until light golden and no longer pink, about 3 minutes per side. Add the tomato with juices and cook, stirring occasionally, until tomato is very soft, 6 to 8 minutes.
   
   
6. While the tomatoes are cooking, combine the cashews with 2 tablespoons water in the blender and blend to a smooth paste. Add to the chicken.
   
   
7. Whisk the yogurt and stir into the pan. Add the reserved onion and salt and mix well. Bring to a gentle boil, cover, and simmer until the chicken is tender, 20 to 25 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a warm serving dish, then ladle the sauce over it, decorate with cilantro sprigs, and serve.
   
   
8. Serve this classic north Indian dish with crusty French bread or freshly cooked basmati rice.