Chicken Korma

My adventures in Indian cooking this winter have been pretty good, though I kind of got tired of making raita after awhile, and now have mint going bad in my fridge... I can make red lentils any time, any way, almost without thinking. Some chicken dishes have been too bland or not very interesting. The recipes I've found have mostly been ok, but not "restaurant good." The chicken tandoori I made using a chicken masala recipe in bon appetit but with tandoori spices was the highpoint, until last week.



Last week, by blending a couple recipes for chicken korma, I came up with one that is really amazing.

My goal was to come as close as I could to the great chicken korma we used to get in Long Beach at Kamal Palace. My friend Lydia doesn't like any spice to her food, so we always ordered it mild. I was skeptical, but the chicken korma there was so flavorful it easily became my favorite Indian dish ever-- nudging out lamb saag.

I made this chicken korma spicy, but next time I'll try it with much less red pepper-- I think it will hold up just fine.

Here's the recipe:



Chicken Korma

3-4 chicken breasts
2 onions, diced
3T ghee (or vegetable oil)
garlic and ginger, ground
2 bay leaves

1T ground coriander
1T garam masala
1T cumin
1 T turmeric
1 t or less red pepper

1 cup tomatoes
1/2 cup crushed cashews (I crushed them in a mortar w/pestle)
1 cup Greek yogurt
1 cup coconut milk

Heat ghee in wok over medium heat, cook bay leaves and onions until onions are translucent. Remove onions. Mix in garlic and ginger and all the other spices with chicken. After 5 minutes, pour in tomatoes and cashews and simmer until chicken is done. Add coconut milk and yogurt, mix well and reheat. Serve over rice.