Step-by-Step Instructions

1. 1.Prepare Chicken Marinade Paste

   In a mixer grinder, combine 1/2 cup roasted cashew nuts, 3 sliced fried onions, 5 large fried garlic cloves, 1 tbsp dried rose petals, 1 tsp green cardamom powder, 1/2 tsp mace powder, and 10-12 dried red chillies. Grind to a coarse paste without adding water.

2. 2.Marinate Chicken

   In a large bowl, add 1 kg chicken drumsticks. To this, add 1/2 tbsp garlic paste, 1 tbsp ginger paste, the prepared coarse marinade paste, salt to taste, and the juice of half a lemon. Mix everything well, ensuring the chicken is thoroughly coated. For best results, marinate for 8-10 hours, or cook immediately if short on time.

3. 3.Temper Spices for Chicken

   Heat 1/4 cup oil and 1 tbsp butter in a kadhai. Add a 1-inch cinnamon stick, 4 green cardamoms, 4-5 cloves, and 10-15 black peppercorns. Let the spices infuse into the oil and butter on a low flame.

4. 4.Cook Chicken

   Add the marinated chicken drumsticks to the kadhai. Sauté the chicken for 4-5 minutes on a high flame until it starts to brown slightly. Cover the kadhai and cook on a medium to low flame for 5 minutes. The chicken should start to become tender, with the meat falling off the bone.

5. 5.Prepare Chicken Dressing

   While the chicken is cooking, prepare the dressing. In a bowl, whisk 1 cup yogurt. Add 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp red chilli powder, 1/4 cup chopped coriander leaves, 10-15 torn mint leaves, and 1 crushed sliced onion. Mix well. Add 1 tbsp oil and mix again.

6. 6.Finish Chicken Chop Fry

   Uncover the chicken and add the prepared yogurt dressing. Spread it evenly over the chicken. Sprinkle 1 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves (Kasoori Methi) and 1 tbsp chaat masala powder. Cover the kadhai again and cook on a low flame for another 5 minutes. Gently sauté the chicken to combine the flavors. Shut off the flame and garnish with 2 tbsp freshly chopped coriander.

7. 7.Prepare Korma Base Paste

   For the vegetable korma, heat 3 tbsp ghee in a kadhai. Add 3 sliced onions and brown them really well until caramelized. Add 1/2 cup cashew nuts and brown them along with the onions. Once browned, remove from heat, let it cool to room temperature, and then grind it to a fine paste.

8. 8.Fry Paneer

   In a separate pan, fry 200 gms paneer cubes until they turn a nice golden brown. Set aside for later use.

9. 9.Temper Spices for Korma Gravy

   In the same kadhai used for onions, heat 2-3 tbsp ghee. Add 1 star anise, 10 black peppercorns, 5-6 cloves, 4-5 green cardamoms, a 1-inch cinnamon stick, and 2 black cardamoms. Let them sizzle and become fragrant.

10. 10.Sauté Aromatics and Dry Spices

    Add a 1-inch finely chopped ginger and 6-7 finely chopped garlic cloves. Sauté for a few seconds until fragrant. Add 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and 1 tbsp red chilli powder. Immediately reduce the flame to low to prevent the spices from burning.

11. 11.Add Yogurt and Korma Paste

    Add 1 cup whisked yogurt to the kadhai. Stir continuously on low flame until the oil starts to separate, indicating the yogurt has cooked down. Then, add the prepared onion-cashew paste (from step 7) and mix well. Continue stirring until the oil separates beautifully again.

12. 12.Combine Vegetables and Finish Korma

    Add 500 gms each of blanched assorted vegetables (French beans, carrots, peas, cauliflower), 3 finely chopped green chillies, and 10-12 soaked and peeled almonds. Mix everything well. Pour in 1 cup vegetable stock and mix. Add the fried paneer cubes and gently mix them into the curry. Adjust salt to taste. Shut the flame and stir in 1/2 cup fresh cream. Mix gently until combined. The delicious Vegetable Korma is now ready.