Chicken Korma with Cashew Nuts

The word "korma" is derived from Urdu, one of the languages of India. "Korma" means "braise",and has its roots in the Mughlai cuisine of modern-day India and Pakistan. It is a characteristic Indian dish, which can be traced back to the 16th century and to the Mughal incursions into present-day Northern India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Classically, a korma is defined as a dish where meat or vegetables are braised with water or stock, and yoghurt added. The technique covers many different styles of korma. The flavour of a korma is based on a mixture of spices, including ground coriander and  cumin, combined with yoghurt added at the end of the cooking so as not to allow curdling. Traditionally, this would have been carried out in a pot set over a very low fire, with charcoal on the lid to provide all-round heat. A korma can be mildly spiced or fiery and may use chicken, lamb or game. Beef is not regularly used in India because the cow is sacred to the Hindus, but if you choose, beef can also be used to make korma.

Ingredients:
For the Curry:
50ml sunflower or peanut oil
1 cinnamon stick
4 cardamom pods
4 whole cloves
1 large onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 inch ginger, peeled and grated
550g boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite size pieces.
125ml water
Sea salt
3 small potatoes, cubed
10 cherry tomatoes, halved
115g plain yoghurt
60g roasted cashew nuts

For the Spice Paste:
30ml coriander powder
5ml ground fennel
2.5ml ground cumin
2.5ml turmeric
2.5ml ground chilli
a few twists of freshly ground black pepper
10 raw cashew nuts

Method:

Combine all the ingredients for the spice paste in a pestle and mortar with 50ml water and grind to a paste.

In a medium sized pot, heat the oil. Fry the cinnamon, cardamom and cloves for 1-2 minutes until the spices start to pop.

Add the onion, garlic and ginger and fry for another 2 minutes.

Add the spice paste and continue to cook for 4-5 minutes over a medium heat. Stir constantly so that the spices do not burn.

Add the chicken pieces and continue cooking foe another 4-5 minutes.

Pour in 125ml water, cover and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Season with sea salt to taste and add potatoes. Continue to cook for another 10 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and stir in the yoghurt. Allow to simmer for about 3 minutes.

Turn off the heat and allow the Korma to rest for 10 minutes.

Before serving, sprinkle with cashew nuts.

Lamb and Cashew Nut Curry

Cashew nuts, yoghurt and saffron make this a delicious dish for a special occasion. Served with rice, dumplings or Indian breads, it makes a substantial meal.

Ingredients:
1-2 inch piece of root ginger, peeled and chopped
3-4 garlic cloves
2 green chillies
50g unsalted cashew nuts
60ml water
4 whole cloves
6 cardamom pods, bruised
15ml coriander seeds
15ml white poppy seeds
50g ghee
2 onions, finely chopped
1kg lamb, cubed
300ml yoghurt
a pinch of saffron threads, soaked in 30ml boiling water
5ml salt
juice and zest of a quarter of a lemon
30ml chopped coriander leaves
3/4 of a lemon, sliced

Method:
Put the ginger, garlic, chillies and cashew nuts in a blender with half the water. Blend to a smooth paste. Add the cloves, cardamom, coriander and poppy seeds and the remaining water and blend. Transfer the puree to a bowl.

Melt the ghee in a large saucepan. Add the onions and fry over medium heat until the onions are golden brown. Stir in the prepared puree and fry for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the lamb cubes and fry until they are evenly browned.

Mix the yoghurt with the soaked saffron, including the liquid. Add the salt and stir this mixture into the meat in the pan. Increase the heat and bring your curry to the boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 1 hour. Stir in the lemon zest and juice and sprinkle over the chopped coriander leaves. Cover and simmer for another 20 minutes, or until the lamb is tender.

Transfer to a warmed serving dish garnished with lemon slices.

Creamed Haddock on Toast with Leek, Asparagus & Spiced Cashew Nuts

Enriching smoked haddock with leek, asparagus and cream gives the fish a sumptuous silky texture, while the nuts add a sweet spicy tang that cuts through the richness perfectly.

Ingredients:
450g smoked haddock fillets
30ml olive oil
1 large leek, white parts only, trimmed and finely sliced.
350g asparagus spears cut into half inch pieces
300ml double cream
grated nutmeg
4 slices of country bread (eg. Poppy Seed Bloomer)
30-50g Spiced Cashews, roughly chopped

Method:
Bring a wide, shallow pan of water to the boil and add the haddock fillets, skin side down. Poach gently for 3-4 minutes until the flesh is just cooked and flakes easily. Using a fish slice, carefully transfer the fish to a plate and leave to cool for a few minutes. While still warm, flake the fish, discard the skin and remove any pin-bones.

Heat the olive oil in a pan, add the leek and sweat for 2 minutes. Add the asparagus and saute for another 3 minutes. Pour in the cream and simmer to reduced and thicken the sauce. Fold through the flaked fish. Grate over the nutmeg and check seasoning. You may bot need to add salt as smoked haddock is usually quite salty. Remove from the heat and keep warm.

Toast the bread slices and place on warm plates. Pile the smoked haddock mixture onto the toast slices and sprinkle over the spiced cashew nuts. Serve at once.

Spiced Cashews

On festive occasions it's great to have nuts for a snack.

We used to get spiced or Peri peri cashew nuts from Mozambique;

now we buy the un-salted, un-roasted nuts and make our own.

If you like these sweeter,

add more sugar and use ground cinnamon and ground clove

instead of paprika, cumin and coriander.

Ingredients:
125ml sugar
5ml paprika
2ml ground cumin
2ml ground coriander
2ml ground chilli - or peri peri spice if you can get it.
5ml salt
1 egg white, whipped
250g cashews

Method:
Put the nuts into the whipped egg whites and make sure they are well coated.
Put all the other ingredients into a shallow bowl and drop the nuts into this mixture, moving them around to coat the buts well.
Spread the nuts out on a baking tray and bake for 15-16 minutes at 180C.

Red Cashew Chicken Curry

This is a rich, creamy chicken curry thickened with a cashew nut paste.

It can be served with plain rice, Chinese or 2 minute noodles.

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Ingredients:
1 kg chicken breasts
500ml chicken stock
30ml ghee or clarified butter
1 red onion, peeled and finely chopped
pinch of sea salt
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
20ml paprika
5ml chilli powder
100g cashew nuts, finely ground to a paste in a food processor
250ml double cream
sea salt to season
30ml sesame oil
chopped coriander leaves to garnish

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Method:

Bring to the chicken stock to boil in a saucepan and add the chicken. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked.

Remove the chicken breasts with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Reserve the stock.

Heat the ghee or clarified butter in a pan and fry the onions for a few minutes. Sprinkle the onions with a little salt to stop them from caramelising.

Add the garlic, paprika and chilli powder and cook for a minute or two.

Add 250ml of the reserved chicken stock, the cashew nut paste, cream and sea salt to season. Heat through, stirring well to mix in the paste.

Remove the skin from the cooked chicken breasts and shred the meat into bite size pieces. Add to the sauce and warm through.

Place in a serving dish, drizzle over the sesame oil and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

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