Shahi Chicken Korma
(Indian Royal Chicken Korma)
Written by Nasrul Eam
Even though the word came from the Turkish origin, which literally means cooked meat, Korma is one of the most popular dishes in Indian Subcontinent. Often it comes with ghee, yogurt, cream, and seed paste. Sometimes mild spicy, but mostly slightly sweet, it is very rich with nutrition, and can be a forbidden territory if you are too conscious about your weight, simply because it is so delicious that once you start eating, you cannot stop yourself.
You may cook korma of lamb, chicken and beef. And when there is the word Shahi with the name, it has more ingredients than usual, and indicates its status as a royal dish associated with the Mughal court.
I have eaten various Shahi dishes in different parts of India, especially in special occasions and festivals, but the one that we cook in our house using chicken, I must say is one of the most delicious ones. The taste of this dish is different than the Mughlai Morog, the recipe that I have written few days back, and the way of cooking for Shahi Chicken Korma might seems a bit different too, but to know how testy this dish is, you have to cook it first.
Indian Royal Chicken Korma
Ingredients
| 1 whole chicken (around 8 pieces) | 1 cup sour or greek yoghurt |
| 2 cup chopped shallot or onion | 1 teaspoon salt |
| ½ cup onion paste | 1 teaspoon sugar |
| 1 teaspoon garlic paste | 1 cup ghee or oil |
| 1 teaspoon ginger paste | 6-8 potatoes |
| 3 green Cardamoms | 2 Indian bay leaves |
| 1 cinnamon stick | 10 raisins |
| 4 almonds | 6 pistachio nuts |
How to Make It Delicious
Instructions
| 1. Make a spice paste with ½ cup onion paste, 1 teaspoons garlic paste, 1 teaspoons ginger paste, 1 cup sour or greek yoghurt, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon sugar. |
| 2. Remove the chicken skin and cut it into 8 or 10 pieces. |
| 3. Marinate the chicken pieces with the spice paste for 2-3 hours. |
| 4. In a pan over medium-low heat, warm the 8 tablespoons ghee then add 2 Indian bay leaves, 3 green cardamoms, 1 cinnamon stick, and chopped shallot and sauté until they are lightly browned. Set aside the lightly browned shallot into a plate. |
| 5. Peel the potatoes then gently pierce them with a fork. |
| 6. In the same pan add another 4 tablespoons ghee and sauté the potatoes over medium heat until they are lightly browned. |
| 7. Add the marinated chicken pieces in to the pan, the lightly browned fried shallot, rest of the ghee, and a small amount of water and cook the chicken until the oil starts floating on top, about 20-25 minutes. |
| 8. To finish, serve the Shahi Chicken Korma garnish with slice almonds, raisins, and pistachio nuts. |
Cuisine
Indian Cuisine
Preparation Time
2-3 hours
Cooking Time
20-30 minutes
Difficulty Level
Medium
Ingredient Availability
Indian stores
Course
Main Course
Serves
6 people
Note
If you notice the ingredients, we use ghee and shallots. You may use the simple cooking oil instead of ghee in this dish, however, the flavor of the finish dish will be totally different, and will not taste like those royal dish served in the Mughal court.
For authentic test, always use shallots not the white onion, as they have a really nice way to incorporate themselves into any dish.
You may use sultanas if you really want to, but raisins goes better with this dish for its dark color.
Remember the taste of any dish is hugely depends on salt, so measure the salt with your senses. In time, you will develop a tactile memory for just the right amount.
Last and most important before eating this wonderful dish, don’t forget to begin with the name of Almighty, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, for giving us the opportunity to enjoy His bounty, and as always, you can feel the soul of your dish when share it with someone you love.
