Korma is one of the oldest preparations in the Mughal culinary tradition, documented in 16th-century texts from the court of Emperor Akbar. The Mughal court cuisine (Shahi Mughlai cooking) was characterized by its use of nut pastes, cream, and whole spices — a direct inheritance from the Persian cooking traditions of the Timurid empire from which the Mughals descended. Korma, along with nihari, haleem, and the various pilaf-style rice dishes, represents this inheritance.
The British Indian restaurant korma, developed in the 1970s to cater to customers who found spiced curries too hot, reduced the dish to its most crowd-pleasing elements (cream, sweetness, little heat) while losing the complexity of spice and the technique of the nut paste. Both versions exist legitimately in their contexts; neither is the other.
The Nut Paste
The defining technical element of korma (along with the fried onion paste) is the nut paste — cashews, blanched almonds, or pistachios soaked in water and ground to a very smooth paste. This paste provides:
- Thickening: The starch and fat in the nuts thicken the sauce to a creamy, coating consistency
- Richness: Fat from the nuts provides a clean, rounded fat flavor distinct from butter or cream
- Body: Ground nuts hold the sauce together without requiring flour or cornstarch
Technique: Soak nuts in hot water 20–30 minutes; drain; blend to a completely smooth paste, adding minimal water. Any graininess in the paste will be apparent in the finished sauce.
The Fried Onion Paste (Birista)
A large quantity of thinly sliced onions are fried in oil until deep golden brown (almost caramelized, past translucent, past golden, to a deep amber-brown that smells sweet and toasted). These are then pureed into a paste. This provides the sweet, caramelized foundation of the korma sauce.
The Complete Recipe
Serves: 4 | Time: 1.5 hours
Ingredients
Marinated chicken:
- 800g bone-in chicken pieces (or 600g boneless thighs)
- 150g full-fat yogurt
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili (for color, not heat)
Nut paste:
- 80g raw cashews (or blanched almonds)
- Hot water for soaking
Fried onion paste:
- 3 large onions, very thinly sliced
- 100ml neutral oil for frying
Sauce:
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil or ghee
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 green cardamom pods, crushed
- 2 black cardamom pods, split
- 1 cinnamon stick (5cm)
- 4 whole cloves
- 1 teaspoon ginger paste
- 1 teaspoon garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- 100ml heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon rose water (optional — Mughal authenticity)
- Salt to taste
- Kewra water (pandanus extract — optional, 1 teaspoon)
Method
1. Marinate chicken: Combine chicken with yogurt, salt, turmeric, and Kashmiri chili. Marinate 1 hour minimum (overnight better).
2. Fry onions: Heat 100ml oil in a heavy pan over medium-high heat. Add onions; fry, stirring regularly, 20–25 minutes until deep golden brown. Remove; drain on paper towels; cool. Blend to a paste with 2 tablespoons water.
3. Nut paste: Soak cashews in hot water 20 minutes; drain; blend to a completely smooth paste.
4. Brown the chicken: Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a heavy-bottomed pot (kadai or Dutch oven) over medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces; brown on all sides 3–4 minutes total. Remove.
5. Build the sauce: In the same pot, add all whole spices (bay, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves); fry 30 seconds until fragrant. Add ginger and garlic paste; fry 2 minutes. Add onion paste; cook 5 minutes until slightly dried. Add coriander powder; cook 1 minute. Add nut paste; stir vigorously to combine; cook 2 minutes.
6. Braise: Return chicken to the pot; add enough water to just submerge (about 150ml). Cover; cook over low heat 25–30 minutes until chicken is very tender. Stir in cream; add garam masala; add rose water if using. Simmer uncovered 5 minutes. Adjust salt.
Serve: With basmati rice, naan, or roti.
Related reading: Chicken Tikka Masala Guide | Rogan Josh Kashmiri Lamb Guide | Dal Makhani Black Lentil Guide
The full recipes live in the book.
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