Oh, this is so delicious! It’s definitely different than Aziz Ansari’s Mom’s Chicken Korma, but just as good.
The reality is that if you don’t have saffron, the dish will still turn out just fine. Ground turmeric is a common substitute for saffron, so if you don’t have any, just add 0.25t more turmeric to the recipe.
There are several variations for this dish online, but this one is based on one from Eating Well magazine.
Despite the long ingredient list, this is really quick and easy to make.
What you’ll need:
- 5T canola or vegetable oil, divided
- 5 cups thinly sliced onions
- 0.25 cups unsalted cashews
- 0.25 cups water
- 1 .5 cups low-fat plain yogurt
- 2t garam masala
- 0.5t ground cardamom
- 0.5t cayenne pepper
- 0.5t ground coriander
- 0.5t ground turmeric
- 0.25t crushed saffron threads
- 0.5t black peppercorns, crushed
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Coarsely chopped fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)
What to do:
Heat 4T oil in a 12*inch frypan (preferably cast iron) over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook them, stirring frequently, until they’re caramelized and slightly crispy, 25 – 30 minutes. Let them cool for 15 minutes before transferring the onions to a food processor and adding the cashews and water. Blend until smooth and set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the yogurt, garam masala, cardamom, cayenne, coriander, turmeric and saffron. Set aside.
Place the frypan over medium heat and add the remaining 1T of oil. Let it heat a bit before adding the peppercorns, bay leaf and cinnamon stick. Toast for 15 seconds, until fragrant. Now add the chicken, garlic and ginger, then cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken starts to brown, 5 – 7 minutes.
After the chicken has browned, stir in the pureed onion mixture, yogurt mixture, broth and salt. Adjust the heat to maintain a low simmer, partially cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is tender and cooked through, about 20 minutes.
Garnish with optional cilantro, if desired, and serve with hot basmati rice.
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