Name: Chicken Korma with Cashew Nuts
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 3 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 cinnamon stick; 4 cardamom pods; 4 cloves; 1 large onion ((sliced)); 2 cloves garlic ((minced)); 1 inch ginger ((peeled and grated) (30g)); 20 oz boneless skinless chicken thighs ((cut into bite size pieces) (565g)); Salt (to taste); 3 small potatoes ((cubed)); 10 cherry (or grape tomatoes, halved); ½ cup plain yogurt ((115g)); ½ cup cashew nuts ((roasted) (60g)); 2 tbsp ground coriander; 1 tsp ground fennel ((jintan manis)); ½ tsp ground cumin ((jintan putih)); ½ tsp ground turmeric; ½ tsp chili powder; ¼ tsp ground pepper; 10 raw cashew nuts ((ground to a paste))

This creamy and fragrant Chicken Korma with Cashew Nuts is perfect for those with a milder palate. It is delicious served with fluffy steamed basmati rice.

When chicken and cashew nuts are mentioned together, the dish that comes to mind is Kung Pao Chicken complete with dried chilies for spiciness. However this combination as I have discovered, can also be made into a delectable curry when done using korma spices. Korma is a popular dish that originated in the Indian sub-continent but made its way along the monsoon trade routes to Southeast Asia many centuries ago. This Chicken Korma with Cashew Nuts can be made mild or spicy depending on one’s preference. Furthermore, it can be combined with chicken, mutton, lamb, or beef.

Mild and Fragrant Korma

Specifically in Malaysia, korma is normally mild and fragrant as a contrast to the sharper and spicier local curries. It can be a “starter” curry for beginners and many kids have their first taste of curry in the form of a korma. For many years, this curry was not present in restaurants and could only be found in homes during a kenduri or Malay feast. It grew in popularity along with other Indian Muslim food in the 1980’s. Today, it has taken its rightful place on the menu with the rest of the Malaysian curries.

Nona-Nona

If you are a frequent visitor to this blog, you probably already know that Nona-Nona is a monthly virtual cooking collaboration between my blogging buddy, Denise and me. We take turns to select an ingredient or theme to cook a dish and post simultaneously on our respective blogs. Neither one of us know what the other is preparing but since we come from similar backgrounds there is always the possibility of us preparing the same or similar dish. So far, this has happened twice. You can read about it here and here.

Theme for the Month

The theme for this month, CASHEW NUTS was selected by Denise. Roasted cashews are often eaten as a snack in Malaysia but they are seldom used as a main ingredient in cooking. Sometimes, it is used in place of buah keras or candlenut as a thickening agent in curries. In this particular curry, I used ground raw cashews in the sauce to make it rich and creamy. The roasted cashews added at the very end, provided a nice contrast of textures. It is delicious served with steamed basmati rice and mango or lime chutney as a counterpoint to the creaminess.

Similar Tools Used in Making This Chicken Korma with Cashew Nuts

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• Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Signature Wok, 5-Quart, Marseille
• Pyrex Prepware 1-Cup Measuring Cup