Total Time

　　30 minutes

　　When you have a chicken korma in a restaurant, it tends to be sweet, sometimes with raisins and quite pale. I am not a big fan of that style of korma and once you have tried my version you may well prefer mine, too. The simple spices used in the sauce lend the chicken a lovely warmth, while you get a beautiful creaminess from the cashews, white poppy seeds, and onions, resulting in a deliciously delicate curry. Serve the chicken korma with chapattis or naan, or with rice.

　　Note: Don't substitute black poppy seeds here; they have a different flavor and would darken the color of the dish. The creamy white poppy seeds contribute a rich feeling to the dish. If you can't find them, add an additional tablespoon of cashews. 

　　

Ingredients

Serves 4

　　2 tablespoons sunflower oil

　　1 cinnamon stick, broken up into small pieces

　　2 onions, roughly chopped

　　1 green chile, roughly chopped

　　2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

　　1-inch piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and roughly chopped

　　50g (⅓ cup) cashew nuts (about 28 cashews)

　　1 tablespoon white poppy seeds (see headnote)

　　100ml (3 1⁄2 fl oz) water

　　1 teaspoon salt

　　1 teaspoon garam masala

　　1 teaspoon chile powder

　　200ml (7fl oz) boiling water

　　650g (1lb 7oz) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 5cm (2 inch) pieces

　　1 tablespoon heavy cream

　　¾ cup fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped

　　

Step 1

Heat the oil in a pan and add the cinnamon. Once it starts to sizzle, add the onions with the green chile and cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes until they start to color.

　　

Step 2

Add the garlic, ginger and cashew nuts and cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes until lightly golden. Stir in the poppy seeds and then pour in the measured water.

　　

Step 3

Transfer the mixture to a blender and blitz until smooth, then return to the pan.

　　

Step 4

Stir in the salt, ground spices and measured boiling water then add the chicken pieces. Cover and cook over a medium heat for about 10 to 15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.

　　

Step 5

Add the cream and cilantro, then serve.

　　From Chetna’s 30 Minute Indian: Quick and Easy Everyday Meals © 2021 by Chetna Makan. Reprinted with permission by Mitchell Beazley, distributed by Hachette Book Group.Buy the full book from Mitchell Beazley, Amazon, or Bookshop.