Chiken Korma

 Ingredients:

1. 1 1/2 tsp poppy seeds

2. 5 oz thick yoghurt

3. 1/3 c ghee or clarified butter

4. 2 oz each blanched almonds, unsalted cashew nuts

5. 2 bay leaves

6. 1 1/2c onions, chopped

7. 3 green chillis, chopped

8. 4 nos. each green cardamoms, cloves

9. 1 - 1 1/2tbsp ginger garlic paste

10. 1 kg boneless chicken breasts or thighs or a mix, skinned

11. 1/2 tsp each of nutmeg powder, mace powder, cinnamon powder

12. salt to taste

Method of Preparation:

Soak the poppy sceds in 1/2 cup water for 1 hr. Drain off water and grind to fine paste.

Heat most of the ghee in a cooking pot add the almonds, cashews, bay leaf and fry for 5 min over medium heat. Add the onions and fry till lightly colored. Add the chillis, cardamoms, cloves, poppy seeds and fry. Add 1 cup water and simmer for a while. 

Discard bay leaf. Cool and puree the mixture.

Add remaining ghee to the pot. Fry ginger garlic paste. Add the chicken pieces. After a while add the yoghurt, stirring continuously. Add the ground mixture, salt and nutmeg, mace and cinnamon powders.

Add 1 cup hot water. Cover and simmer till chicken is tender. Taste and adjust salt and chillis.