hi, George
when i go to the restaurant i never order korma, because i don't like their version, i make it my self at home and it is wonderfully creamy, mild , full of very very nice flavors.
first of all make the ( boiled onion gravy ) as follows :
2 small onions (200g)
2cloves of garlic
1 inch of fresh ginger
1 tea spoon of salt
2 green cardmom pods
2 cloves
0.5 inch of cinnamon ( no cassia park please )
a pinch of whole mace
small fresh bay leaf
1 cup of water (250 ml )
puree the onion ,garlic and ginger until very fine .
add the rest of the ingredients and boil until the onion and the rest of the ingredients are cooked.( half an hour ) you can add more water and cook a little bit more if the ingredients are still raw .remove and discard the bay leaf.
puree every thing including the whole spices as well until it is really fine at least 2 minutes in a soup blender (really nothing make a fine puree than the blender ).you are not going to see the whole spices any more.
dissolve 0.5 tea spoon of saffron in about 1 table spoon of very warm milk and leave aside.
dissolve 50g of creamed coconut in very warm evaporated milk nearly half a (170g) tin.if it is very thick just add some boiling water and leave aside.
grind 1 to 2 oz of raw cashewnut or almond in a nut grinder until it is powdery and leave aside
2 teaspoon of rose water (not essence )
2 tea spoon of kewra water (not essence)
cooked chicken breasts
0.5 cup real butter ghee...warm then add 1 tea spoon freshly ground coriander seeds and 1 tea spoon garam masala (see the recipe below ) stir add the cooked chicken breast but don't fry for more than 1 minute.
add the gravy ,saffron mixture,creamed coconut mixture,cashewnut or almond powder, if it looks thick add more boiling water to make like the restaurant consitsency, raise the heat and cook until the ghee rise to the top.
add the rose water and the kewra water.
stir and then add a big pinch of the gram masala and if you like you can add fresh coriander to your likings.
now this is how i like my korma ( i add about less than0.5 tea spoon fresh fenugreek leaves or really a good pinch ) it transform the taste to a little bit savory.but it is up to you.
i hope that you are going to make it and enjoy it as well.
it is not written in stone you can make any changes in the ingredients or the spices ,just be careful not to use tomato products in the ingredients.
if saffron is expensive you can use turmeric instead but don't expect the same kind of taste.
they never use strong spices like cumin in KORMA.
you can add chillies to your liking but remember it is a mild dish
the colour of it is very nice yellow or orange(it depend upon the turmeric or saffron )
now her is the recipe for a very very nice GARAM MASALA
25g seeds from brown cardmom (very important seeds only )
25g cloves
25g cinnamon stick (no cassia park please )
25g fennel seeds
25g royal cumin seed( black cumin seeds .....not onion or kalonji seeds )
25g black peppercorn
12.5g whole mace
12.5 whole nutmeg
12.5g dry bay leaf
don't roast ,just put in a coffee grinder and grind until fine
please don't leave at room temperate after you use , put in the fridge in a very tightly closed jam jar, it will stay for ever there without loosing its aroma.
please come back and tell me if you did like it .
thanks
ghanna