 Chicken korma | |
| Alternative names | Korma, Qorma |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Mughal Empire |
| Region or state |  India Pakistan Bangladesh Iran Afghanistan |
| Associatedcuisine | Mughal cuisine |
| Serving temperature | Main dish |
| Main ingredients | meat,yogurt |
Korma orqorma (Urdu:قورمہ;Hindi:क़ोरमा;Bengali:কোরমা;Persian:قرما;Kashmiri:قۄرمہٕ) is a dish with its origin in theIndian subcontinent,[1] consisting of meat or vegetablesbraised withyogurt, water or stock, and spices to produce a thick sauce orgravy.[2]
The English name is an anglicisation of theHindi-Urduqormā (क़ोरमा, قورمہ), meaning "braise".[3][4] It refers to the cooking technique used in the dish.[2][5] All these words, and the names of dishes such as theIranianghormeh (Persian:قورمه),TurkishKavurma and theAzerbaijaniqovurma orkavarma, are ultimately derived from aTurkic wordqawirma, meaning "[a] fried thing".[4] The Indian korma is, however, possibly unrelated in a culinary sense to the modern Turkishkavurma or to some other dishes using the same root word, as they use widely varying techniques and ingredients.[6]
Korma has its roots in theMughlai cuisine[1] of theIndian subcontinent. A characteristicMughal dish, it can be traced back to the 16th century and to the Mughal expansion into South Asia. Kormas were often prepared in the Mughal court kitchens, such as the famous white korma, perhaps garnished withvark, was said to have been served toShah Jahan and his guests at the inauguration of theTaj Mahal.[7]
Classically, a korma is defined as a dish where meat or vegetables are braised with yogurt or stock. The technique covers many different styles of korma. The flavour of a korma is based on the mixture of spices, including groundcoriander andcumin, combined with yogurt kept belowcurdling temperature and incorporated slowly and carefully with the meat juices. Traditionally, this would have been carried out in a pot set over a very low fire, withcharcoal on the lid to provide all-round heat. A korma can be mildly spiced or fiery and may uselamb,goat meat,chicken,beef or game; some kormas combine meat and vegetables, such asspinach andturnip. The termshahi (English:royal), used for some kormas, indicates its status as a prestige dish, rather than an everyday meal, and its association with the court.
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The korma style is similar to otherbraising techniques in that the meat or vegetable is first cooked briskly, or seared, using high heat, traditionally withghee, and then subjected to long, slow cooking using moist heat and a minimum of added liquid.[2] The pot may be sealed with dough during the last stages of cooking, using a technique calleddum ordampokhtak.[2]
The korma is made using a technique calledbagar. in the later stage of cooking, additional spices are mixed with heatedghee and then combined with the sauce formed by the braising. The pan is then covered and shaken to release steam and mix the contents.[8]
There is a wide variation between individual korma and other "curry" recipes. Chilli and ginger are often used, but the precise method of preparation results in widely different flavors.Indian bay leaves or driedcoconut may be added, the latter being a predominantlySouth Indian flavoring.
A kormapilau (pilaf) is a rice and meat dish made with braised meat.[9]
In the United Kingdom, a typical korma as served in curry houses is a mildly spiced dish with a thick sauce. It often featuresalmonds,cashews or other nuts, andcoconut or coconut milk. In the 21st century, chicken korma has several times been cited as the most popular curry in the UK, replacingchicken tikka masala in surveys of public eating habits.[10][11]
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Navratan korma is a vegetarian korma made with vegetables and eitherpaneer (an Indian cheese) or nuts – or sometimes both.[12]Navratan means "nine gems", and it is common for the recipe to include nine different vegetables.
In some parts of South Asia,korma is used to denote a traditionalEid al-Adha (festival of the sacrifice) dish of lamb, goat, or cow that is braised in minimal or no spices. The flavour comes from the meat and fat of the chosen cuts. It was often done to preserve meats for a short-term period, as the fat layer forms a barrier to help prevent spoilage, similar topotted beef.
In Malaysia, korma or 'gulai kurma' is traditionally cooked with coconut milk instead of yoghurt among theMalays, as dairy products do not feature heavily in Malay cuisine. Meats used for kurma include chicken, mutton, beef, and deer. It also often contains more vegetables, such as carrots, potatoes, and tomatoes, though this is not a hard-and-fast rule. Some recipes includetamarind as the souring agent, in place of the natural acidity of yoghurt.[13]
Hindi & Urdu qormā, of Turkic origin; akin to Turkish kavurma fried meat, from kavur- to fry, roast
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