Restaurant style chicken/prawn korma - mere mortal version (v. 1)

chicken_shrimp_korma_mortal_v1.md

Kenn's Chicken/King Prawn Coconut Curry (Korma)

Ingredients

• 2 cups red or yellow onions, well peeled, loosely chopped
• 6 cloves peeled garlic, finely grated
• 2" peeled ginger root, finely grated
• Optional: 1 medium serrano green pepper, seeded & cored, finely minced (leave out for no heat, use half pepper for medium, full for spicy)
• 14 oz plain greek yogurt (2% or whole milk, eg FAGE 5%)
• large can (~14 oz) unsweetened coconut milk (ideally containing no guar gum; well blended if it does)
• 3 TB cashew butter
• ghee (high-heat tolerant clarified butter; preferred) or vegetable oil
• 3 TB tomato paste
• 1/2 tsp Spanish or Persian saffron (optional, but recommended)
• 1/2 cup whole cream
• ground spice mix 1
  • 1 TB garam masala
  • 2 tsp tumeric
  • 1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper (1/2 tsp for medium heat, 1 tsp for spicy)
  • 1 TB kosher salt
  • 1 TB brown sugar
  • 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
• whole spice mix 2 (this is essentially a homemade whole spice garam masala; optional but highly recommended)
  • 6-8 whole cloves
  • 2 2" whole cinammon sticks
  • 1 dried star of anise spice
  • 6-8 whole black pepper corns
  • 2 large dried bay leaves
  • 6 whole green cardamom pods
  • 10-12 whole corriander seeds

Protein

• 2 lbs chicken - whole thighs chopped into 2-3" chunks, or bone-on legs & thighs (breasts are NOT recommended)

OR

• 1.5 lbs uncooked shelled tail-on king prawn or jumbo shrimp

Prep

Put half the yogurt into a large bowl, add 1 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper. Add chicken or prawns. Mix well to coat all pieces. Cover with plastic wrap and set in fridge (needs at least 1 hour to marinate properly)

If using saffron, crush to fine pieces, mix gently into the whole cream and let strands steep

Onion mix

In 2 TB oil or ghee, saute chopped onions over medium heat for 6 minutes, then add garlic & ginger. Continue stirring and saute until onions are soft and beginning to carmelize but not brown, about 5 more mins. Remove from heat. Add 1 cup cold water. Using a hand mixer or traditional blender, puree onion mix until smooth.

Korma base

In large saucepan or deep pot, bring 2TB ghee to medium heat, add whole spice mix (#2), cook until fragrant, stirring frequently, careful not to burn, about 4 minutes. Add onion mix, remaining yogurt, tomato paste, and ground spice mix (#1), stir well.

If using chicken, add to base now. Simmer covered over low-medium heat for 15 mins for thigh cubes or 30 mins for bone-in. Stir occassionally.

Add coconut milk, cashew butter and saffron cream to base. Mix well until cashew butter is well blended.

If using prawns, add to base now.

Continue simmering over low-medium heat for 10 minutes.

Serve hot with basmati rice or naan.

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shoutout to @_colinw for the friendly encouragement

Didn't expect to find this on Github. This is so random but so awesome!

Found your site through your 1944 Simple Sabotage Field Manual

Will try and make this over the summer and post a picture of my results

Thanks for sharing :)