SAFFRON CHICKEN KORMA

INGREDIENTS

4 chicken legs 100g brown onions 120g yoghurt 2 tbsp blanched almonds paste 1 tbsp red chili powder ½ tsp yellow chili powder 20 fresh mint leaves 4 green chillies 2 tbsp ginger and garlic paste 30ml double cream 1l chicken stock 10 saffron strands 100g ghee, clarified butter 6 green cardamoms 4 cinnamon sticks Salt for seasoning 1 gold leaf, optional

Method

Heat the ghee in a heavy bottomed pan, add the green cardamom and cinnamon to it followed by the ginger garlic paste. Add chicken legs and sauté well till it turns light brown. Meanwhile make a paste of brown onions with the yoghurt and add to the cooking mixture. Keep stirring. Add salt, red chili and yellow chili powder along with the mint leaves and slit the green chillies. Continue stirring till the cooking mixture leaves oil on the top. Add chicken stock, double cream and puréed blanched almonds. Simmer for 30 minutes till the chicken is cooked. Strain the gravy through a fine strainer and add saffron for colour and aroma. Garnish with sliced almonds and gold leaf. A classic dish which has evolved over the centuries, packed with aroma and flavours. Widely available around the globe with every region have their own influence on the dish basis availability of local herbs and seasoning. This recipe is loaded with subtleness of saffron and almond with notes of whole spices.

by PRADEEP KHULLAR