Chicken Kurma is a mild, creamy coconut flavored gravy. Korma / kurma is a Mughlai dish, mostly made with any form of meat or vegetable or combination of both, where yogurt or coconut cream is primarily added for flavor and richness.
Prep Time5 minutesmins
Cook Time25 minutesmins
Total Time30 minutesmins
Course: dinner, lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: Indian, mughlai, north indian, southindian
1/2kgChicken whole cut or boneless (whole cut country chicken preferred)
1cupOnion small onion / pearl onion / sambar onion
2Green chili slit open (add dry red chilies instead )
1/2cupTomato
1tbspGinger Garlic Paste
1/2tspCumin seeds
1/2tspFennel seeds
1smallBay leaf
4eachCloves
21 inchCinnamon
2Cardamom
2petalsBlack stone flower / kalpasioptional
1/2tspTurmeric powder
1Red Chili powder hot variety
1tbspCoriander powder or All purpose curry powder ( kuzhambu milagai thool )*** refer notes
2tbspOil
1tbspGhee
1/4cupCoriander leaves for garnish
4leavesCurry leaves
1cupWater
For Coconut Paste (refer notes for alternatives)
1/2cupFresh grated coconut
4wholeCashew nut
1tspPoppy seeds
1/2tspFennel seeds
1/2cupWater
Instructions
To start with first grind coconut, fennel, poppy seeds and cashew with some water and make a thick paste.
Chop all the veggies and keep them ready. Clean and chicken, wash and keep it ready. Chicken can be marinated with little turmeric and salt but not really necessary.
Heat oil and ghee in a sauce pan and splutter cumin and fennel seeds. Also add the whole dry garam masalas like bay leaf, cloves, cardamom, black stone flower, cinnamon & curry leaves.
Saute onions & green chilli until golden brown. I have used combination if sambar onions and regular onions.
Add ginger garlic paste and saute till it cooks a bit.
Now add tomatoes along with turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder and salt. Bring the flame to medium, cover and cook for 3-4 minutes. The chicken will release water and cook along with the onion mixture.
Saute until the masala powder cooks. Add water at this stage. Now bring the flame to medium low setting, cover and cook the gravy for 10 minutes. Alternatively you may pressure cook for 2 whistles.
Once done, the oil will separate from the gravy as shown.
Once done, add the coconut paste, throw in the coriander leaves and curry leaves. Simmer for few minutes and switch off!
Serve as a side for chapati or have it with plain rice and curry!
Notes
***Yogurt is primarily added for all kurma recipes to richness and to thicken the base gravy. Most north Indian style kurma recipes include yogurt whereas south Indian style version uses coconut cream for richness and very little or no yogurt is added. Everyone family has its own versions of kurma, you may pick the one which you prefer. ***Coriander powder can be replaced with all purpose curry powder which adds more flavor and thickness to the gravy. Our homestyle chicken kuzhambu always include this kuzhambu milagai thool which is combo of variety of spices roasted and ground into fine powder. My mil's version includes fennel seeds as well as little pottukadalai / roasted gram while grinding coconut and also she adds in few mint leaves while finishing up the gravy for added flavor. Also she is old school never uses premade ginger garlic paste, she likes to add crushed ginger and garlic. My mom uses just the poppy seeds and cashews while grinding coconut and garnish with just curry & coriander leaves and drizzles ghee at the end. I like both versions and play with the ingredients for a taste of both.This kurma taste awesome with naatu kozhi or country chicken. Boneless works but not that tasty though! Make sure to grind the cashew and poppy seeds well to make a smooth paste. Sambar onion or pearl onion.