Degchi
Bangladeshi Chicken Korma
Serves 5 · Total 45 min · Prep 15 min · Cook 30 min
A pale, sweetish chicken curry made with yogurt, fried onion paste and a little sugar, built around sweet whole spices rather than chilli. Served at almost every wedding and Eid lunch alongside polao, it is deliberately mild so it suits every guest.
Quick answer: 45 min in total · serves 5 · main ingredients: Chicken, Yogurt, Onion, Ginger · amounts in metric and US
Ingredients
- 1 kg 2.2 lb Chicken, bone-in, cut into curry pieces
- 250 g 1 cup Yogurt
- 3 pc 3 pc Onion, sliced and fried crisp, then ground to a paste
- 1 tbsp 1 tbsp Ginger, made into a paste
- 1 tbsp 1 tbsp Garlic, made into a paste
- 5 pc 5 pc Cardamom
- 2 pc 2 pc Cinnamon
- 4 pc 4 pc Cloves
- 1 tsp 1 tsp Sugar
- 3 tbsp 3 tbsp Clarified butter
- 2 tbsp 2 tbsp Cooking oil
- to taste to taste Salt
- 4 pc 4 pc Green chilli (Optional)
- 2 tbsp 2 tbsp Dry fruits, cashews, ground to a paste (Optional)
Steps
Timers run only while this tab is open. The Degchi app keeps them running on a locked phone.
- Marinate the chicken with yogurt, ginger-garlic paste and salt for 30 minutes.⏱ Marinating · 30 min
- Heat the ghee and oil; add the whole garam masala and fry for 30 seconds until fragrant.⏱ Frying whole spices · 1 min
- Add the marinated chicken and cook uncovered on medium heat, stirring, until it changes colour, keeping the masala pale.⏱ Cooking the chicken · 6 min
- Add the fried onion paste, cashew paste, sugar and green chillies; stir well.
- Add a little hot water, cover and simmer on low heat until the chicken is tender and the gravy is creamy.⏱ Simmering · 12 min
- Remove from the heat and let it rest for 2-3 minutes so the flavours settle before serving.⏱ Resting · 3 min
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Frequently asked questions
How long does Bangladeshi Chicken Korma take?
45 minutes in total: about 15 minutes of prep and 30 minutes of cooking.
Is Bangladeshi Chicken Korma hard to make?
Degchi rates it medium. The method has 6 steps, and 5 of them have a timer you can start on this page.
How many people does Bangladeshi Chicken Korma serve?
This recipe serves 5. Use the toggle above the ingredient list to see the amounts in metric or US measures. For more or fewer portions, scale every amount in the same proportion, or use the servings control in the Degchi app.
Is Bangladeshi Chicken Korma halal, vegetarian or eggless?
It is marked halal in our recipe data. It is not vegetarian. It has no egg. It has no beef. Check the labels on any packaged ingredients for your own needs.
What will I probably need to buy for Bangladeshi Chicken Korma?
Everyday staples that Degchi counts as pantry basics: cooking oil, salt. Spice-box items: cardamom, cinnamon, cloves. Fresh items you will probably need to buy: chicken, yogurt, onion, ginger, garlic, clarified butter. Lentils, grains and other dry goods: sugar.
Any tips for making Bangladeshi Chicken Korma?
Frying the onion until very crisp before grinding it is what gives korma its characteristic sweetish, nutty background.
Notes and questions
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