Chandani Korma
Chicken in gravy, decorated with a silver coating.
Ingredients
For the marinade:
500 GMS boneless chicken60 GMS curd
2 tbsp. cream
20 GMS ginger paste, strained
10 GMS garlic paste, strained
Salt according to taste
For the gravy:
5 tsp. pure oil
3 tsp. Ghee
18 black peppercorns
8 cardamoms
6 cloves
1/2 stick cinnamon
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp. jeera
200 GMS onion paste, boiled
20 GMS ginger paste, strained
10 GMS garlic paste, strained
150 GMS curd
10 GMS green chili paste
2 tbs. almond paste, fried
30 GMS mawa
1 liter thin clear chicken stock
Salt according to taste
3/4 tsp. cardamom powder
2 tsp. lemon juice
For the garnishing:
12 pistachios, blanched, peeled and sliced
Method
For the marinade:
1.Prepare the marinade mixture and evenly rub the chicken breasts with the marinade and keep aside for 1 hour.For the gravy:
1.Heat Oil in a pan and add the marinated chicken breasts.
2.Sear over high heat for 5 minutes, turning once.
3.Remove to an absorbent paper to drain excess oil and keep aside.
4.Whisk the curd in a bowl, add the green chili paste and whisk again till well blended.
5.Crumble the mawa to remove lumps.
6.Heat desi Ghee(clarified butter) in a pan. Add peppercorns, cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves and Cumin seeds.
7.Stir over medium heat until the cardamoms begin to change color.
8.Add the boiled onion paste and ginger paste and garlic paste and stir-fry till the Ghee(clarified butter) begin to appear on the surface.
9.Add the curd mixture and stir-fry until the Ghee(clarified butter) begin to appear on the surface.
10.Add almond paste and mawa, and stir-fry until Ghee(clarified butter) floats on top.
11.Add stock and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced by a quarter.
12.Remove and pass the gravy strain into a separate pan.
13.Return the gravy to heat. Add the seared chicken and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked and the sauce is quite thick.
14.Add cardamom powder and stir well. Sprinkle lemon juice, stir and remove from heat. Adjust the seasoning .
15.To serve arrange two breast pieces on the plates. Pour the sauce over and garnish with pistachios.