Chicken Korma

How to make it

1. Whisk the yogurt completely smooth in a large bowl and stir in the grated ginger, grated garlic and 1 tsp salt. The mixture should be even and free of lumps, since lumpy yogurt separates more easily in the pot.
   Chef's tip Full-fat yogurt carries enough fat to buffer its proteins against heat; leaner versions curdle far more readily. Whisk until it ribbons off the whisk — any lump left now shows up as a grain in the finished sauce.
2. Turn the chicken pieces in the marinade so each piece is coated in an even, white layer. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes. ⏱ 30 min · passive
3. Put the almonds and cashews in a small bowl and pour boiling water over them until covered. Let them sit for 15 minutes, until they can be mashed soft between two fingers. Then drain off the water and let them drain in a sieve. ⏱ 15 min · passive
4. Crumble the saffron threads into the warm whole milk and let steep for 10 minutes, until the milk is deep golden. ⏱ 10 min · passive
5. Rinse the basmati rice in cold water until the water runs clear, and let it soak in plenty of cold water for 20 minutes, then drain. Soaking makes the grains pliable so they don't break during cooking. ⏱ 20 min · passive
6. Melt the ghee in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Sauté the sliced onions, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes, until evenly golden brown and smelling sweet and toasted. Don't let them turn dark brown, or the sauce will turn bitter. ⏱ 15 min
   Chef's tip The onions keep browning in the hot ghee after the heat goes off, so lift them at even gold rather than the shade you actually want. Stir more often in the last five minutes, when the sugars concentrate and scorching starts at the pot edge.
7. Lift the onions out with a slotted spoon and let them drain on paper towels, while the ghee stays behind in the pot. Set a third of the onions aside.
8. Blend the rest of the fried onions with the drained nuts and 1 dl water for 5 minutes. The paste should be completely smooth and pale with no graininess, since it is the whole body of the sauce.
9. Reheat the ghee in the pot over medium heat and let the cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon stick and bay leaves sizzle for 2 minutes, until the pods puff up slightly and the spices smell warm.
10. Turn the heat down to low and add the marinated chicken to the pot along with all the marinade. Stir constantly for 6 minutes, until the yogurt has drawn together around the meat and no longer looks grainy. The low heat and constant stirring are what keep the yogurt from splitting.
    Chef's tip Heated fast, yogurt proteins tighten and squeeze out whey; low heat and constant stirring let them set gently around the meat instead. Let the marinated chicken lose its fridge chill first, and look for a glossy coating rather than white flecks.
11. Stir in the ground coriander, ground cumin and white pepper and let the spices cook for 2 minutes, until the raw, dusty smell is gone.
12. Stir in the onion-nut paste along with 2 dl water and 1 tsp salt. Bring it up to a gentle simmer for 3 minutes, until the surface bubbles evenly all the way around.
13. Cover the pot and let the korma simmer over low heat for 25 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through with no pink center and the meat pulls easily from the bone (core temperature 75°C). ⏱ 25 min · passive
    Chef's tip Hold it at a bare simmer — one bubble breaking the surface every second or two. A rolling boil tightens the muscle fibres and can break the yogurt, giving stringy meat and a flecked sauce even at the right core temperature.
14. Meanwhile, bring plenty of water to a boil in a large pot with 2 tsp salt, until it's boiling vigorously. ⏱ 5 min · passive
15. Add the drained rice to the boiling water and cook uncovered for 10 minutes, until a grain can be mashed soft with just a hint of resistance left in the center. ⏱ 10 min · passive
16. Drain the rice in a sieve. Let it stand covered for 5 minutes so the steam distributes and the grains become loose and dry on the surface. ⏱ 5 min · passive
17. Stir the saffron milk, kewra water and garam masala into the korma and let it simmer uncovered for 4 minutes, until the ghee collects in small golden beads on the surface.
18. Remove the pot from the heat and cover. Let the korma rest for 5 minutes so the sauce settles around the meat. ⏱ 5 min · passive
19. Transfer the korma to a deep serving bowl and sprinkle the reserved fried onions over the top. Place the bowl in the middle of the table along with the rice. Everyone spoons rice onto their own plate, adds korma alongside, and mixes a little at a time as they eat.