A korma, or "quorma" is a traditional Mughal dish. These curries were standard in the Mughal courts and royalty as a sign of wealth. A korma is a traditional dish composed of nuts, cream or yoghurt and meat or vegetables. The nuts and cream add richness to the dish, which signifies wealth.
This traditional korma with pistachio nuts, cashew nuts, and yoghurt adds a sour nuance to the dish. The spices are well-balanced and typical of Mughal cuisine: mild yet perfectly balanced. This korma with mutton is always served with potatoes; however, when it is made with chicken, potatoes are always left out. It is served with sheermal or rice.
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Ingredients:
1/3 cup oil
2 large onions, sliced
1/4 cup almonds
1/4 cup cashew nuts
4 tablespoons poppy seeds
4 tablespoons desiccated coconut flakes
3 teaspoons chilli powder, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
4-5 tablespoons water
7 green cardamom pods
2 cloves
1-inch cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon caraway seeds (shah jeera)
2 teaspoons ginger-garlic paste
1 lb mutton, with bone. Add a few chops, leg meat and neck meat pieces
2 cups yoghurt, well whipped
3 cups water
Salt, to taste
4 tablespoons oil
2 small potatoes, peeled and chunked
Juice of 1/2-1 lime
3-4 green chillies
Cilantro to garnish
Add the oil to a pot and heat on medium flame. Add the onions and fry until they are well-coloured. Remove and drain on paper towels.
Individually roast the almonds, cashew nuts, poppy seeds, and coconut until each is very aromatic and lightly golden. Cool completely. Add the chilli powder, turmeric, and water to a small blender. Blitz with just enough water to get the blender going and make a smooth paste. Set aside.
Heat the remaining oil on a low flame. Add the green cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon and fry for 1 minute. Add the caraway seeds and sauté for 30 seconds more. Add the ginger-garlic paste and cook for 1 minute until the ginger no longer smells raw. Add the spice paste and fry until the water has evaporated and the spices fry in the oil to a deep red colour.
Add the meat and cook for 4-5 minutes on low heat until the meat is sealed. Be careful to stir the pot often so the masala does not burn. Add the yoghurt and cook for 5 minutes, stirring the yoghurt into the masala. Add the water and salt and mix well. You can now pressure cook the meat in an Instant on the meat setting plus 10 minutes or in a pressure cooker for three whistles. Alternatively, slowly simmer the curry for 75 minutes until the meat is soft.
Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the potatoes until they are browned on the outside. The insides will still be raw, but they will cook later. Drain on paper towels.
Add the potatoes to the curry and simmer for 20 minutes until they are cooked through and quite soft. t. Taste for salt and adjust as needed.
Serve hot garnished with green chillies and cilantro with rice or sheermal.
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