Spicy Chicken Korma

I don't believe in rules when it comes to food; and here is a perfect example. 'Spicy' Korma? I hear you say.. Well, I love chicken korma but it is always cooked as a mild curry - which is a shame. You can add spice to any curry and this one with its thick, delicious coconut & almond sauce is so good. I'm not missing out.

So I made my version of a Chicken Korma. With plenty of chillies!

Ingredients:

3 chicken breasts
1 large onion, chopped
1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 red or green chilies, chopped
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp paprika
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp. chilli flakes
2 fresh bay leaves
1 large tomato, chopped
1 tbsp. tomato purée
200ml coconut milk
2 tbsp. natural yoghurt
4 tbsp. ground almonds
2 tsp garum masala
1 tsp ground cumin
fresh coriander, chopped for garnish

Cut the chicken in bite sized pieces, about 1 inch and set to one side

Put the onion, ginger, garlic and chilies into a food processor and blend until smooth.  Put 1 tbsp. oil into a large pan and heat. Pour in the onion mixture and bring to a low boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, and cover. Cook for 10 minutes. Remove the lid and continue to cook for another 5-10 minutes until cooked.

Along with the second tbsp. of oil, add the turmeric, paprika, coriander, bay leaves, chilli flakes, chopped tomatoes and tomato purée and cook for 3-5 minutes over medium heat. Add the chicken and stir well. Cook the chicken for about 10 minutes to seal, stirring occasionally.

Add the coconut milk and yoghurt and return to a low boil. Add the ground almonds, garum masala, and cumin. Stir to combine. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for another 20 minutes, or until sauce is thick. Taste and add salt and freshly ground pepper if you needed. Remove from heat and sprinkle with freshly chopped coriander. Enjoy!

Note: With salt, I often say to add 'if needed'. This is because I am cutting my own salt intake - you may want to use more, so always taste for seasoning. You may also want to add more or less chillies - its up to you!