Step-by-Step Instructions

1. 1.Prepare Chicken Marinade Masala

   Grind the roasted cashew nuts, fried onions, fried garlic cloves, dried rose petals, green cardamom powder, mace powder, and dried red chillies to a coarse paste without adding any water.

2. 2.Marinate Chicken

   In a large bowl, combine the chicken drumsticks with 1/2 tbsp garlic paste, 1 tbsp ginger paste, the prepared coarse masala paste, salt to taste, and the juice of half a lemon. Mix well to ensure the chicken is thoroughly coated. Ideally, marinate for 8-10 hours, but for immediate cooking, proceed to the next step.

3. 3.Heat Oil and Butter

   Heat 1/4 cup oil and 1 tbsp butter in a kadai (wok) over medium heat.

4. 4.Infuse Whole Spices

   Add a 1-inch cinnamon stick, 4 green cardamoms, 4-5 cloves, and 10-15 black peppercorns to the hot oil and butter. Let the spices infuse for a few seconds until fragrant.

5. 5.Sauté Chicken

   Add the marinated chicken drumsticks to the kadai. Sauté on high flame for 4-5 minutes until the chicken is lightly browned on all sides.

6. 6.Cook Chicken Covered

   Cover the kadai with a lid and cook the chicken on a medium to low flame for 5 minutes to allow it to cook through.

7. 7.Prepare Chicken Dressing

   In a separate bowl, whisk 1 cup yogurt until smooth. Add 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp red chilli powder, 1/4 cup chopped coriander leaves, 10-15 torn fresh mint leaves, and 1 crushed sliced onion. Mix all ingredients well to form a dressing.

8. 8.Add Oil to Dressing

   Add 1 tbsp oil to the yogurt dressing and mix again to combine.

9. 9.Add Dressing to Chicken

   After 5 minutes, uncover the chicken. Add the prepared yogurt dressing, 1 tbsp roasted dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi), and 1 tbsp chaat masala powder to the chicken. Spread the dressing evenly over the chicken.

10. 10.Simmer Chicken with Dressing

    Cover the kadai again and cook on a low flame for another 5 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and the chicken to finish cooking.

11. 11.Garnish and Serve Chicken

    Uncover the chicken, stir gently, and then shut off the flame. Garnish with 2 tbsp freshly chopped coriander leaves. The Spicy Chicken Chop Fry is ready.

12. 12.Prepare Korma Base

    In a clean kadai, heat 3 tbsp ghee. Add 3 sliced onions and brown them well until they are golden brown.

13. 13.Brown Cashew Nuts

    Add 1/2 cup cashew nuts to the browned onions and continue to brown them together until the cashews are also golden.

14. 14.Grind Korma Base Paste

    Remove the browned onions and cashews from the kadai, let them cool to room temperature, and then grind them to a fine paste.

15. 15.Fry Paneer

    In a separate pan, fry 200 gms paneer cubes until they are nicely golden brown on all sides. Set aside.

16. 16.Heat Ghee for Korma Gravy

    In the same kadai used for browning onions, heat 2-3 tbsp ghee.

17. 17.Infuse Whole Spices for Korma

    Add 1 star anise, 10 black peppercorns, 5-6 cloves, 4-5 green cardamoms, a 1-inch cinnamon stick, and 2 black cardamoms to the hot ghee. Let them infuse until fragrant.

18. 18.Sauté Ginger and Garlic

    Add 1-inch finely chopped ginger and 6-7 finely chopped garlic cloves. Sauté for a few seconds until their raw smell disappears.

19. 19.Add Powdered Spices

    Add 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and 1 tbsp red chilli powder. Immediately reduce the flame to low to prevent the spices from burning.

20. 20.Add Yogurt to Gravy

    Add 1 cup whisked yogurt to the kadai. Stir continuously on a low flame until the oil starts to separate and a beautiful layer of oil appears on top.

21. 21.Add Vegetables and Almonds

    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 well to combine with the gravy.

22. 22.Add Vegetable Stock

    Pour in 1 cup of vegetable stock (the water used to boil the vegetables). Mix thoroughly.

23. 23.Add Fried Paneer

    Add the fried paneer cubes to the vegetable korma. Gently mix to incorporate them without breaking.

24. 24.Adjust Seasoning

    Adjust salt to taste, ensuring the flavors are balanced.

25. 25.Garnish and Finish Korma

    Add 1/2 cup freshly chopped coriander leaves and mix well. Shut off the flame. Finally, add 1/2 cup fresh cream and gently fold it into the korma. The Vegetable Korma is now ready.