Yes…can you believe it…. I’ve cooked a Korma !!

Yes I’m as shocked as the next person!

I’ve never cooked, tried or even thought about cooking a korma from scratch before. Other than children and Stacey from Gavin and Stacey….who orders or eats a Korma ???

However, this was just one of those weeks which I felt I wanted to challenge myself even more than I have done. Not only did I have a go at the korma but also a classic side dish from the famous Mowgli high street chain – Mowgli Street food – an absolute classic – Mowgli Slaw. I’ll post further about this another time.

I have to be honest, this dish was brilliant. It was packed full of flavour and so simple to make. Layers of flavour plus I used two ingredients I’ve never cooked with before – coconut block and rose water which are easy to get hold of now in any high street supermarket. Plus as you build up your larder of ingredients as I have all the ingredients you will have within the kitchen.

Have a go, trust me you won’t be disappointed!!

Ingredients-

4 tbsp of rapeseed oil, a small cinnamon stick, 3 cardamom pods which you should slightly bruise, 2 small onions finely diced, 1/2 a carrot which you need to grate, 1 tbsp of garlic and ginger paste, 2 tbsp of passata, 2 tbsp of ground almonds, 2 tbsp of desiccated coconut, 1 1/2 tbsp of sugar, 250ml of chicken stock, 100g of block coconut, chicken breasts of thighs cut into small bite size pieces, 1 tsp of garam masala, 125ml single cream, pinch of salt, 1/2 tsp of rose water and chopped coriander to serve.

Method-

Heat a large pan with the rapeseed oil, once hot, add in the cinnamon stick and cardamom pods. Fry for 30 seconds to flavour the oil.

Stir in the chopped onions and carrots and fry for 5 minutes until the onions are translucent.

Chopped onions & carrots infusing in the oil.

Once the onions and carrots have cooked down add the garlic & ginger paste for another 30 seconds giving it a good stir.

Add the passata, ground almonds, desiccated coconut, sugar & 125ml of the chicken stock.

Give the pan a good mix and remove from the heat.

Blitz everything with a hand blender.

Put the pan back on the heat and add the remaining chicken stock. Bring this to a a simmer.

Add in the coconut block….

Cook the coconut block until it starts to break down.

Once the coconut has broken down add in your chicken pieces and cook until the chicken is ready. This should only take 5 minutes. If the sauce dries out add a little more water which I did.