25 Before 25: Korma from scratch

This is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. I love chicken korma, I sometimes think I could eat it every day for the rest of my life! So I couldn’t wait for Meatless May to be over so I could make this. Yes, I know I didn’t specify it had to be a chicken korma and that I could have made a veggie one. But it was part of the reason that challenge wasn’t too difficult, the thought of being able to make this once it was over kept me going. But it’s definitely a recipe that can be made veggie easily, just omit the chicken and change to vegetable stock. Or if you wanted you could make it a lamb korma, the choice is yours.

I decided to do it in the slow cooker, as I want to try as many meals as I can out in it. Also, it’s perfect to use on hot days, it doesn’t heat up your kitchen. I adapted my recipe from this one on allrecipes.co.uk. And I’ve added other changes I will make when I go to make it again.

Slow Cooker Chicken Korma

Ingredients

2 onions, chopped

3 garlic cloves

4 chicken breasts, chopped into large chunks

1 tbsp oil

25g butter

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp ground tumeric

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp gram masala

300ml chicken stock

Few handfuls of frozen veg (I used carrots, peas, broccoli and cauliflower)

1 tbsp sugar

75ml cream (I used coconut milk, but I found my resulting korma wasn’t creamy enough for me. I would probably use cream or better still coconut cream next time around)

2 tablespoons flaked almonds or cashews

Salt

Method

1. In a blender, blitz the onion and garlic until you get a coarse paste.

2. In a frying pan, heat the oil and cook the chicken until evenly browned. Remove and add to slow cooker.

3. In the same frying pan, melt the butter. Add the onion and garlic paste and cook over moderate heat for 3 minutes. Add the spices and cook for another 1 minute.

4. Mix in chicken stock, sugar and pinch of salt. Bring to the boil and then transfer into the slow cooker. Add the vegetables.

5. Cover and cook for 5-7 hours on low heat or 3-4 hours on high heat.

6. Add the cream and nuts. Serve with rice and naan bread.