Chicken Green Korma

"A healthy outside starts from the inside."
(~Robert Urich)

It is unlike the usual kormas, and is definitely not rich and heavy with cream. I ate this dish for the first time at my in-law's place. Ever since then it has been on my list of regulars; it was that delicious! They liked to call it a green korma and made it with mutton. This particular day, I wanted to serve Green Korma and all I had were some drumsticks in the freezer. So out they came to be thawed.

Ingredients:

Chicken drumsticks............8, appx: 550-625 gms, you could use any part of the chicken.

Yoghurt..............................2 tsps

Mustard seeds...................1 tsp

Cinnamon.........................2 sticks

Pepper corns....................20-25

Black cardamom..............2

Cloves..............................6

Green coriander..............a handful

Spring onions..................2, use only the green leaves

Green chilli......................2, or acc to preferred heat level

Garlic..............................5-6 flakes (large variety)

Ginger.............................abt 1" piece

Onions.............................1 chopped

Oil

Salt

Time saver: Chopped onions, peeled garlic flakes and ginger

Rub the chicken with yoghurt and allow it to marinate.

Next grind all the items from mustard seeds to ginger. That's ten items. The green masala you see at the back on the right are these items ground. And the murky green liquid in the front is what I call masala rinse. This is obtained by swirling some water (I used 3/4 cup) in the grinder after the ground spices have been removed! I use it in cooking; for the gravy.

Now heat some olive oil and drop in the chopped oinions.

When the onions begin to brown, add the red chilli powder, turmeric and green masala.

 Stir it in with the onions and brown the lot.

When it is done the oil will separate from the spices thus:

Now add the chicken and mix it well into the browned masala. Continue to brown it on a medium flame.

I am never fully satisfied using the term 'brown' the masala, meat etc, in context to Indian cooking. We use the word "Bhuna" (adj) or "Bhuno" (verb). It is an act of cooking the food on a medium to low flame carefully, taking care not to brown it to the point of burning. It's more about the cooking process than the act of browning. Here's the picture of the process: The sign that it is done can be seen in the second pic. The oil has begun to separate.

Pour in the masala rinse at this point. The quantity of water I used was 3/4 cup. Cover and simmer till water content reduces to form a thick gravy.

This goes well with roti (chapatti) or paratha. I wouldn't recommend it with rice.

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