Keema Anda Korma (Chicken Mince & Egg Curry)

          Turn your usual keema curry into an amazing dish by adding few eggs to it. It will immediately take the dish into a next level. I also added some green peas, but it is purely optional. In this recipe, I have used chicken keema (mince). 

           However, you can also go in for mutton keema as per your preference. This is a great party recipe, where you can serve along with jeera rice, pulao, plain biryani, tandoori roti, naan or roomali roti. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 400 gms. chicken mince / keema
• 2-3 eggs, boiled
• 1/2 cup green peas 
• 3 tbsp. oil 
• 2 bay leaves
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2-3 cardamoms 
• 4-5 cloves
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds 
• 1/2 mace
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2-3 garlic cloves
• 1" ginger
• 1 tbsp. tomato paste / puree of one tomato
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp. roasted coriander powder
• 1 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1/2 cup yoghurt, well beaten
• 1 tsp. kasuri methi, crushed 
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped 
• 1 tsp. ghee 

          Make slight gashes on the eggs and keep them aside. Make a smooth paste with the onion, ginger and garlic. Keep aside. Make a paste of all the dry spices, tomato paste and some water. Keep aside.

          Heat oil and stir fry the eggs till light brown. Drain and keep aside. Temper the same oil with cumin seeds, bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves and mace. Sauté for a few seconds. 

          Now add the onion paste and sauté till the moisture evaporates. Add the spice paste and stir fry till the oil separates.

          Add the beaten yoghurt and kasuri methi. Mix everything well and stir fry for 2 minutes. Add the chicken mince and give it a stir. Cook on a low flame for 4-5 minutes.

          Add 1 & 1/2 cups water, fried eggs and the green peas. Bring it to a boil and simmer, covered till the gravy slightly thickens and you get the desired consistency. 

          When done, switch off the flame. Add the ghee and coriander leaves. Serve with any type of rice or Indian bread.

                        Heat oil & stir fry eggs till light brown. Drain & keep aside. 

                     Temper the same oil with cumin seeds, bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms, 
                     cloves & mace. Sauté for a few seconds.

                        Add onion paste & sauté till the moisture evaporates. 

                        Add spice paste & stir fry till oil separates.

                       Add beaten yoghurt & kasuri methi. Mix well & stir fry for 2 minutes. 

                       Add chicken mince & give it a stir. Cook on a low flame for 4-5 min.

                       Add 1 & 1/2 cups water, fried eggs & green peas. Bring to a boil & 
                       simmer, covered till the gravy comes to a desired consistency. 

                      When done, switch off the flame. Add ghee & coriander leaves. 

                                Serve with any type of rice or Indian bread.

Potoler Korma (Parwal / Pointed Gourd) Curry - Bengali Style

          Potoler Korma is a traditional Bengali recipe, where parwal / pointed gourd is cooked with a medley of spices in a mustard-cashew based gravy. The gravy is on the thicker side and is typically served as a main course either with any form of rice or any type of Indian bread. So check out an easy step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 8-10 potol (parwal / pointed gourd), cut lengthwise
• 3 tbsp. +1 tsp. mustard oil
• 1 tsp. panch phoron (Bengali five spice mix)
• 1-2 dry red chilies
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2-3 garlic cloves
• 1" ginger
• 1 tbsp. mustard seeds
• 8-10 cashew nuts
• 1 tbsp. fresh grated coconut
• 1-2 green chilies
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves to garnish

          Grind together mustard seeds, cashew, coconut, garlic, ginger and green chilies. Keep aside.

          Heat 1 tbsp. oil and fry the parwals till light brown. Keep aside. 

          Heat 2 tbsp.  oil and temper with bay leaves, dry red chilies and panch phoron. Allow it to splutter.

          Add the onion and fry till light brown. Add the fried parwals, ground paste, salt and turmeric powder. Mix well and add 1-2 cups water.

          Bring it to a boil and simmer, covered, till the veggies are soft and the gravy turns slightly thick. 

          When done, switch off the flame. Add the remaining mustard oil and coriander leaves. Mix well and serve with rice or chapatis. 



Note - 
You can substitute cashew nut with poppy seeds. I had to skip as it is not available here.

                      Heat 1 tbsp. oil & fry parwals till light brown. Drain & keep aside. 

                     Heat 2 tbsp. oil & temper with bay leaves, dry red chilies & panch phoron. 
                     Allow it to splutter.

                       Add the onion and fry till light brown. 

                       Add fried parwals, ground paste, salt & turmeric powder. Mix well.
                     

                     Add 1-2 cups water. Bring to a boil & simmer, covered, till veggies are 
                     soft and the gravy turns slightly thick. 

                     When done, switch off flame. Add remaining mustard oil coriander leaves. 

                       Serve with rice or chapatis. 

Cauliflower Korma

          Korma in general is a very popular side dish served in many restaurants. It is prepared with mixed veggies or any single veggie and differs from one region to the other. Yoghurt, coconut or cashew paste is used for the base gravy. 

         So let me share my version of a Korma made with cauliflower. This yummy preparation can be served either with pulao, jeera rice, poori, paratha, chapatti, etc. In the South it is often relished with appam, idiyappam or biryani. 

• 1 medium size cauliflower, cut into florets
• 3-4 tbsp. oil
• 2 bay leaves
• 1" cinnamon stick 
• 2-3 green cardamoms
• 4-5 cloves
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds 
• 1 onion
• 1" ginger
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 1 tomato
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. roasted coriander powder
• 1 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1 tsp. sugar (opt)
• 1 tsp. kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves). crushed
• 1/2 cup yoghurt
• 1 tsp. ghee
• coriander leaves to garnish

          Blend the onion, ginger, garlic and tomatoes to a smooth paste. Keep aside. Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a pan and fry the cauliflower florets till light brown in colour. Drain and keep aside. 

          Heat remaining oil and temper with bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves and cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Now add the ground paste and sauté till the oil separates. Add all the dry spices (except garam masala) kasuri methi, sugar and yogurt. Mix well and continue to stir fry till it leaves the sides of the pan. 

          Add the fried cauliflower and 1/2 cup water. Cover and cook on a low flame till done. Add the garam masala and ghee. 

          Stir and switch off the flame. Keep it covered for 2-3 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve as a side dish with rice or chapatti. 

         

       

Marzwangan Korma (Kashmiri Lamb Curry)

           This is a classic Kashmiri style Mutton Curry without any onion or garlic. It is a much preferred menu of the kashmiri pandits. This delicious side dish, which has very few ingredients, is mildly flavoured with fennel, ginger, asafoetida, kashmiri red chillies and cardamom powder. It is served with either plain steamed rice or Kashmiri pulao.

• 500 gms. mutton with bones, curry cut
• 2 tbsp. ghee
• 2 tbsp. oil
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp. fennel powder
• 1 tsp. ginger powder
• 2-3 tbsp. Kashmiri red chili powder
• 1 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1/2 tsp. cardamom powder
• 1/2 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 cup yoghurt
• 3-4 dry red chilies

          Heat ghee in a pan and fry the mutton cubes till they are lightly browned. Then add the yoghurt, all the dry spices and 1/2 cup water.

          Mix everything well. Cover and simmer till it is almost dry. Add 3/4-1 cup water and pressure cook for 20-25 minutes on a low flame after the first whistle.

          Heat the oil in a pan and fry the dry red chilies and pour this tempering to the prepared mutton curry. Serve with steamed rice or Kashmiri pulao.


           

       

Mixed Vegetable Korma

          This korma recipe is a very popular South Indian side dish that is generally served in all restaurants. This type of curry comes in handy when you have lots of leftover veggies in the refrigerator. There are many versions to this yummy dish. 

           It is cooked in a coconut-cashew paste gravy. But today I kept it light and simple by adding some milk and yoghurt. It goes very well with steamed rice, jeera rice, pulao, plain biryani, naan, tandoori roti, kulcha, appam, Idiyappam or just plain chapatti.

• 1 cup french beans, chopped
• 1/2 cup boiled black chana (chickpeas)
• 1 cup radish, chopped
• 1 cup potatoes, chopped
• 1/2 cup green peas (I used frozen peas)
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2 green cardamoms
• 4 cloves
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp. cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• salt to taste
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tbsp. yoghurt
• 1-2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Pressure cook the veggies in some water for one whistle. Drain and keep aside. Heat oil in a pan and temper with cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves, curry leaves and cumin seeds. Saute for a few seconds.

          Add the onion and fry till it turns slightly brown in colour. Now add the ginger-garlic paste and all the powdered spices mixed with some water. Saute till the oil separates.

          Add in the boiled veggies, milk and yoghurt. Mix well and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Switch off the flame and garnish with coriander leaves.

          Serve hot as a side dish with steamed rice, jeera rice, pulao, plain biryani, naan, tandoori roti, kulcha, appam, Idiyappam or just plain chapatti.

Flat Beans / Surti Papdi Korma

          Today I would like to share a simple Korma style Flat Beans curry that you can have as a side dish with both rice or chapattis. It is also known as Sem ki Phali or Papdi. Just a blend of few basic ingredients for the gravy makes this dish very delicious. 

          The addition of ghee to the end product enhances the flavour and makes it very aromatic. So go ahead and try it by checking out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 300 gms. flat beans,
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1" ginger, chopped
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 1-2 fresh chilies
• 1 tomato
• 2-3 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 tsp. tomato paste
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. coriander powder
• 1 tsp. cumin powder
• 1 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. ghee

          Cut the ends of the flat beans. Wash and drain them. Grind the onion, tomato, ginger, garlic and chilies to a coarse paste. Keep aside.

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with cumin seeds and asafoetida. Sauté for a few seconds. Now add the ground onion paste and keep frying on a medium flame till almost dry.

          Add the tomato paste and all the dry spices (except salt). Sauté well till the oil separates. Then add the flat beans, salt and sugar. Mix everything well and add 1/2 cup water.

          Cover with a lid and simmer till the beans are soft. Keep stirring at intervals and sprinkle more water if needed. 

          When done, add the ghee and switch off the flame. Serve as a side dish with rice or chapattis.

                  Grind onion, tomato, ginger, garlic & chilies to a coarse paste. Keep aside.

                                Cut the ends of the flat beans. Wash & drain them. 

                   Heat oil & temper with cumin seeds & asafoetida. Sauté for few seconds. 

                      Add ground onion paste & keep frying on med. flame till almost dry.

                    Add tomato paste & all dry spices (except salt). Sauté till oil separates. 

                                 Then add flat beans, salt & sugar. 

                                 Mix well & add 1/2 cup water.

                                  Cover & cook till done. Add ghee & switch off the flame.

                               Serve as a side dish with rice or chapattis.