Chicken Korma with Pilau Rice

Mac
Servings

5

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cook Time

25 minutes

Cuisine

Indian

Category

Dinner

Korma has a reputation as the ‘safe’ curry, but a korma made properly is anything but boring. Mild doesn’t mean bland: this is a rich, creamy, gently spiced curry with real depth, finished the traditional way with toasted almonds and a few sweet sultanas. Served with fragrant pilau rice, it’s the kind of comforting, crowd-pleasing dinner the whole family will happily eat, a proper fakeaway that knocks spots off a takeaway tub. The secret is in how the spices are treated early on, get that right and you’ll never call korma boring again. Ready in around 40 minutes.
Chicken Korma with Pilau Rice

Ingredients

    Fresh & Mains

    • 3 - 4 chicken breasts or thighs, cut into large, takeaway-sized chunks
    • 1 large onion, finely chopped
    • 2 to 3 cloves garlic, crushed
    • 1 thumb fresh ginger, grated

    Pantry Staples

    • 2 tsp Korma spice blend
    • 2 tbsp oil or ghee
    • 300g basmati rice
    • 1 tin (400g) coconut milk (or 200ml double cream)
    • 2 tbsp ground almonds (plus a little extra to thicken, if needed)
    • 1 handful flaked almonds, toasted
    • 1 small handful sultanas
    • 4 whole cardamom pods and 1 cinnamon stick (for the pilau)
    • Salt to taste

    For Garnish & Serving

    • A scatter of fresh coriander and the toasted flaked almonds over the top to make it look as good as it tastes

    Directions

    1. Start the Pilau Rice: Rinse the basmati until the water runs clear. In a saucepan, warm a little oil and add the cardamom pods and cinnamon stick for a minute, then add the rice and water as described on your packet, with a pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook on low for 10–12 minutes. Leave covered off the heat to steam and fluff up. (You can also do the rice in a rice cooker, just add a little Tikka blend to the water, or follow the separate pan pilau recipe.)
    2. Cook the Aromatics First: Heat the oil or ghee in a large pan and add the garlic and ginger. Cook for a minute or two to take the harshness out, this comes before the onion on purpose, and it’s the step that surprises people. Then add the onion and sweat gently for 8–10 minutes until soft and golden.
    3. Bloom the Spices: Stir in the Korma blend and cook it into the onions for a good couple of minutes until fragrant. Don’t rush this, it’s the only point in the dish where the spices properly cook out, and skipping it leaves the curry raw and slightly grainy. This early step is what gives the curry its depth. Want the full technique behind it? That’s one for Technique Tuesday.
    4. Seal the Chicken: Add the chicken and cook for about 5 minutes until sealed and white all over. Don’t crowd the pan (it drops the heat and steams the meat), and turn each piece rather than stirring, stirring draws the water out and steams the chicken instead of sealing it. The larger chunks keep it moist and stop it overcooking.
    5. Simmer with the Lid On, Then Off: Pour in the coconut milk (or cream), stir in the ground almonds and sultanas, and bring to the boil. Pop the lid on and simmer gently for about 15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Halfway through, take the lid off so the sauce can reduce and thicken, with the lid on, the moisture circulates and the sauce stays thin.
    6. Thicken if Needed: If the sauce is still a little thin once the chicken is cooked, stir in a little more ground almonds and boil for a minute to soften them, this thickens it naturally. Don’t reach for cornflour, it turns the sauce claggy and gloopy. Season to taste.
    7. Serve: Fluff the pilau rice and serve alongside the korma, finished with the toasted flaked almonds and fresh coriander. Add a little sugar if you prefer sweetness. You can also use turmeric to change the colour of the dish to be nearer to a restaurant style.

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