Homemade Chicken Korma

Try this Homemade Chicken Korma recipe, or contribute your own.

Save
Homemade Chicken Korma Save
Homemade Chicken Korma

Try this Homemade Chicken Korma recipe, or contribute your own.

  • Preparing Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Served Person: 4

Step-by-step

  • Use a food processor finely mince garlic, shallots, ginger, and cilantro.
  • Add cumin, coriander, garam masala powder, sea salt, cayenne, tomato paste, and olive oil. Blend until it becomes a smooth paste.
  • We are going to use about 5-5 ½ tbsp korma paste for 1 ½ lb chicken. Store extra korma pate in freezer for future use.
  • Slice 1 large shallot into long thin strips. Heat 2 tbsp coconut oil in a wok or frying pan over medium/medium-high heat. When hot, add the sliced shallots, season with a small pinch of salt. Pan fry them and stir frequently for 8-10 mins or until golden brown. Be careful not to burn the shallots. Use a slotted spoon and scoop them onto a tray lined with paper towel. Spread them out so they crisp up.
  • Heat 2 tbsp coconut oil in a large saucepan or deep frying pan over medium-high heat, when hot, add 1 large minced shallots and 5 to 5 ½ tbsp homemade korma paste. Keep stir-frying the ingredients to prevent them from burning for about 2 minutes until fragrant.
  • Turn the heat up to high and add sliced chicken. Stir-fry for 4-5 minutes until the chicken is lightly browned.
  • Add coconut milk. Give it a gentle stir. Cover the pan with a lid and bring to boil.
  • Once it’s boiled, lower the heat to medium. Add diced pumpkin or butternut squash. Cover the pan with a lid. Let it simmer until the squash/pumpkin is cooked through. Stir the bottom of the pan periodically to prevent food from burning.
  • To serve: Sprinkle finely chopped mint/cilantro/basil leaves and topped with crispy shallots.

A glossy layer of infused coconut oil crowns the surface, while tender chicken and soft squash absorb a rich, spiced aromatic paste. Creating this dish properly requires vigilance during the initial paste-frying stage. Spices and tomato paste burn easily in dry pans. Keep the heat at medium-high and stir constantly for precisely two minutes until the raw edge of the garlic and ginger disappears.

Frying the shallots for the garnish demands equal attention. Remove them from the hot oil the moment they turn light golden brown. Residual heat darkens them further on the paper towel. Leaving them in the pan too long results in bitter, acrid crisps that ruin the final texture.

Testing the pumpkin or butternut squash for doneness relies on physical resistance rather than timing. Pierce a large chunk with the tip of a paring knife. The metal should slide through the flesh with zero resistance while the piece retains its structural integrity. If the squash crumbles under the knife, it has overcooked and dissolved into the sauce.