Chicken Kurma (Sista)
Submitted by Rings
Yogurt-marinated chicken simmers in a rich sauce of freshly ground spices, poppy seeds, cashews, almonds, and coconut. An authentic Indian chicken korma built from scratch.
This is not the mild, cream-heavy korma you find at most takeaway spots. This is the real thing, built entirely from whole spices ground fresh.
Cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, coriander seeds, cumin, and turmeric get ground into a fragrant powder, then mixed with a garlic-ginger paste and yogurt to create a thick marinade that the chicken soaks in for hours.
The sauce gets its signature velvety body from a ground paste of poppy seeds, cashews, almonds, and shredded coconut, stirred into ghee-fried golden onions.
Everything cooks together uncovered until the sauce thickens and clings to each piece of chicken, rich with layers of nutty, warm, aromatic flavor.
Pro Tips
- Grind the whole spices fresh right before using; pre-ground spices lose their punch fast and this dish depends on that fragrance
- Marinate the chicken a full 2 to 3 hours so the yogurt tenderizes the meat and the spices penetrate deeply
- Cook the onions in ghee until truly golden brown, not just softened; this caramelized sweetness is the backbone of the sauce
- Grind the poppy seeds, cashews, and almonds as fine as possible for the smoothest sauce texture
- Fresh green chilies bring a sharp, bright heat that’s different from dried chili; adjust the quantity to your preference
Ingredients
Directions
Grind cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, coriander and cumin seeds with turmeric until you have a powder.
Chop garlic and ginger into a paste.
Combine both mixtures with yogurt and salt.
Add chicken to this mixture and marinate 2 to 3 hours.
Grind poppy seeds, cashews and almonds in a blender or spice mill until you have a powder.
Combine with coconut and set aside. Heat ghee in a large skillet and cook onions until golden brown.
Add poppy seed mixture and mix well.
Put chicken and yogurt marinade into a heavy bottom pot.
Add onion mixture, fresh chiles, half the cilantro and 1½ cups water.
Cook, uncovered, until chicken is tender and sauce thickens.
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