Chicken Korma

Chicken korma is a mild creamy curry without any chillies. It is ideal for people who cannot stand the "hotness" in normal curries.The method of cooking is similar to normal curries except that it is advisable to marinate the chicken in the spices prior to cooking to let the flavour blend in.

The following recipe is one I adapted and kept from a Malaysian-Singaporean student newsletter from my student days.
I remember the korma being a student favorite.The boys will prepare the korma whenever there was a celebration or during Eids. But their korma curry was a bit thin, unlike the thick ones prepared by the people in my home state during weddings.

Ingredients:

1/2 chicken cut into 6 pieces

A: Blend or grind the ingredients in red font.

• 1 tabsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp couscous
• 1 tabsp black peppercorns
• 4 candlenuts (buah keras)
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
• the "heart" of a nutmeg seed,(biji pala)
  
• 2.5 cm ginger
• 10 shallots
• 5 cloves garlic

B: To sautee:

• 2 cardamon seeds
• 4 cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 onion, sliced

1 cup thick coconut milk
3 pieces tamarind(Asam keping). Subsitute with some lemon juice if you cannot get asam keping)
water
Salt to taste

Method:

Remove skin and visible fat from chicken and mix in with blended ingredients.Steep for 1 hour.

Heat oil in a saucepan and sautee the ingredients in orange font until fragrant.Add in the blended ingredients, removing the chicken from it. Fry until nearly dry but not burnt, stirring continuously. Add in the chicken pieces. Continue stirring. Add the coconut milk and allow to simmer until chicken is tender. Add salt, tamarind pieces or lemon juice; Add in water when the coconut cream is too thick.. If you prefer a less cholesterol meal, substitute with skim milk or evaporated milk. Cook for a few minutes.

If you want to brighten up your korma you may add carrots, cut in 1 cm pieces, fresh whole chillies and quartered onions. You may also sprinkle slices of spring onions as garnish. Serve with white rice,bread,paratha or capati.

Korma can also be made with lamb and mutton instead of chicken.

If you are in Malaysia you can buy the korma spices off the shelf and follow the instructions on the packet.