By Shireen Jamooji
October 10, 2023
Before butter chicken, there was Shahi Korma. This fragrant dish was a staple of Old Delhi's by-lanes and remains a much-loved classic to this day. The additions of onion paste and kewra give it a uniquely rich flavour that's hard to resist.
For the Paste: Cooking oil for frying 4 medium-sized onions, chopped 8-9 cashew nuts For the Yoghurt Mixture: 2 cups yoghurt, whisked 1 ½ tsp ginger-garlic paste 1 ½ tsp coriander powder 1 ½ tsp red chilli powder ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
3-4 tbsp onion frying oil 3-4 cloves 3-4 green cardamom pods Prepared yogurt mixture Salt to taste 1 kilogram chicken 1 tbsp onion-cashew paste 1 small teaspoon kewra water (screw pine water) 1 tbsp fresh coriander leaves
Heat oil in a pan, add chopped onions, and sauté until they turn golden brown.Remove and fry the cashew nuts until they turn golden. Grind into a smooth paste
In a bowl, combine yoghurt, ginger-garlic paste, coriander powder, red chilli powder, and turmeric powder. Mix well and set aside.
In a deep pan, heat the oil used for frying onions. Add cloves and green cardamom pods and let them sizzle.
Add the yoghurt mixture and cook on low heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring continuously.
Add the chicken and cook until it becomes tender. Add kewra water and mix well.
Finish with fresh coriander, transfer the korma to a serving dish and serve hot with tandoori roti.