Chicken Korma with Yogurt and Cashew Paste
Silky, velvety sauce clings to tender chicken pieces, with a mellow sweetness from ground cashews and warm notes of cinnamon, cardamom, and garam masala. The texture is smooth rather than oily, making each spoonful rich and satisfying without feeling heavy.
Use plain yogurt and quickly toasted cashews to build the base; you can swap cashews for blanched almonds if needed. For a lighter version, replace half the cream with extra yogurt; for deeper flavor, brown the onions a touch longer before adding the spices. A blender or immersion blender makes the sauce effortlessly smooth.
Serve this curry over steamed basmati rice or with warm flatbreads for soaking up the sauce. It suits family dinners, weekend gatherings, or a make-ahead meal—cool and refrigerate, then gently reheat; the flavors deepen after a day. Offer a simple cucumber raita and a wedge of lemon on the side for contrast.
How to Make It
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1
Toast the cashews in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant and just golden, 3–4 minutes; transfer to a blender.
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2
Peel and roughly chop the onion. Add half the onion, the garlic, and ginger to the blender with the cashews; blend with 60 grams of water to a smooth paste and set aside.
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3
Heat the ghee and oil in a large heavy skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the remaining onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until deep golden brown, 10–12 minutes.
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4
Add the cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, and bay leaves to the pan and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
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5
Stir in the ground coriander, cumin, turmeric, and chili powder; cook 30 seconds to bloom the spices.
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6
Add the tomato paste and cooked spices, cook 1–2 minutes, then add the cashew-yogurt paste from the blender and stir to combine.
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7
Reduce heat to low and whisk the plain yogurt into the sauce a little at a time to prevent splitting. Cook gently for 3–4 minutes.
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8
Season the chicken pieces with half the salt and add them to the pan, stirring to coat. Pour in 140 grams of water (reserve the rest), cover, and simmer gently until the chicken is cooked through, 18–22 minutes for boneless, 25–30 minutes for bone-in.
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9
Remove the lid, stir in the heavy cream and remaining salt, and simmer uncovered 3–5 minutes to thicken. If the sauce is too thick, add reserved water in 1-tablespoon increments.
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10
Stir in the garam masala, lemon juice, and chopped cilantro. Taste and adjust seasoning.
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11
Discard the cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, and bay leaves before serving. Serve hot over basmati rice or with flatbreads.
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