Chicken Kurma - South Indian special

It is believed that Korma / Kurma  can be traced back through the roots of Mughal cuisine, which is characteristics by the present day India,Pakistan and Bangladesh...Traditionally, Kurma is made with meat or vegetables which is infused with yogurt, nuts and spices and it is cooked in a very slow flame...Korma is made either with chicken, meat,vegetables or a mixture of meat and vegetables...This curry is mildy spicy and has rich nutty taste..North Indians called this dish as korma,whereas South Indians called as kurma...There are few variation in South Indian kurma..They combined it with spice powders along with coconut milk, nuts,yogurt and also poppy seeds ( Khas -khasa)...Each one has their own way of making this dish..Today, I am sharing  a South Indian version of Chicken Kurma, which is of course my mom's speciality...Its an excellent combination for ghee rice, pathiri ( rice flatbread), appam ( laced thin rice pancake), chappati etc..Lets go to the recipe

Recipe Source : Umma

     Ingredients

        To marinade:

• Chicken,cut into small pieces - 1/2 kg

• Black pepper powder - 1 tsp

• Turmeric pdr - a pinch

• Salt - depends

• Yogurt - 1 tbsp

        For Gravy:

• Cardamom - 2 to 3 no.s

• Cloves - 3 no.s

• Cinnamon stick - 1" pc

• Bay leaf - 1 no. 

• Onions,sliced - 2 large

• Shallots,sliced - 4 to 5 no.s

• Ginger-garlic paste - 1 1/2 tsp

• Chopped green chillies - 2 no.s

• Tomatoes,sliced - 2 large

• Mint leaves,chopped - 1 tbsp ( optional )

• Coriander leaves,chopped - 1 tbsp + few for garnishing

• Turmeric pdr - 1/4 tsp

• Kashmiri chilli pdr - 1 1/2 tsp

• Coriander pdr - 1 tbsp

• Garam masala pdr - 1/2 tsp

• Water - 1/2 to 3/4 cup

       To grind:

• Cashew nuts - 7 no.s

• Coconut shredded - 1/4 cup

• Fennel seeds - 1/4 tsp

    Method

• Marinate chicken as mentioned in ' To marinate' and keep aside for 10 mins.

• Soak cashew nuts in a hot water for 10 to 15 mins..

• Heat a oil in a kadai or deep wide pan, add cardamom till bay leaf and let it splutter.

• Add sliced onions and shallots sprinkled with salt and saute till transparent..

• Add ginger-garlic paste and chopped green chillies and saute for few seconds.

• Add tomatoes and saute till mushy or till oil seperates from pan..

• Add chopped mint leaves and coriander leaves and saute for few seconds..

• Add all the spice powders and saute till raw smell goes away.

• Add marinated chicken and mix well.

• Add water, mix well thoroughly and close the lid..Cook for 15 to 20 mins or till chicken is cooked..

• Meanwhile, grind coconut, cashews and fennel seeds with a soaked cashew water and make it into thick paste..

• Add coconut- cashew paste in this curry and mix well.

• Taste and adjust salt and spice accordingly..

• Heat this in a medium flame,when it comes one bubble,off the flame..

• Garnish it with coriander leaves and sprinkle little garam masala on top..

• Serve it with the combination of ghee rice, chappatis, pathiri, appam etc..

    Notes:

• If the curry becomes too thin, add 1 tsp of rice powder to thicken it..

• You can add your desired vegetables along with chicken pieces..

• Instead of chicken, you can replace it with mutton,beef or fish..

• Vegetarians can replace it with soya chunks or any vegetables..

• If you don't like cashewnuts. you can add poppy seeds ( khas - khasa) instead..