Fowl Quorema (Chicken Korma)
A rich and creamy Malay-style chicken curry made with coconut milk, aromatic spices, and lemon grass. This korma omits coriander and cumin to preserve the delicate coconut flavor, making it a favorite among European diners of the colonial era.
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken (about 3-4 lbs) Young chicken, cut into 16-18 pieces (Full-grown tender fowl)
- 2 ounces (4 tablespoons) Ghee (clarified butter) (One chittack)
- 1.5 teaspoons Salt
- 4 teaspoons Onions, ground or finely grated
- 1 teaspoon Ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon Ground chilies or chili powder (Adjust to taste)
- 0.5 teaspoon Ground ginger
- 0.25 teaspoon Ground garlic or garlic paste
- 2 cups Coconut milk (Milk of a large coconut; use full-fat canned coconut milk)
- 2 blades Lemon grass blades (Bruised; do not serve in final dish)
- 4 cloves Cloves, ground (Three or four cloves)
- 4 pods Cardamom pods, ground (Three or four cardamoms)
- 4 small sticks Cinnamon sticks, ground (Three or four small sticks)
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Instructions
- 1Cut the chicken into 16-18 pieces of roughly equal size, similar to cutting for an ordinary curry. Pat dry with paper towels.
- 2Grind the cloves, cardamom pods, and cinnamon sticks to a fine powder. Prepare the ground onions, ginger, garlic, turmeric, and chilies. Bruise the lemon grass blades by hitting them with the back of a knife.
- 3Warm a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat and melt the ghee until it begins to bubble.
- 4Immediately when the ghee begins to bubble, add the ground onions, turmeric, chilies, ginger, and garlic. Stir continuously until the mixture turns quite brown and fragrant, being careful not to burn.
- 5Add the cut chicken pieces and salt to the pot. Stir well to coat all pieces with the spice mixture. Continue stirring and cooking until the chicken turns a good light-brown color on all sides.
- 6Pour in the coconut milk and add the bruised lemon grass blades and the ground hot spices (cloves, cardamom, and cinnamon). Stir well to combine all ingredients.
- 7Close the pot with a tight-fitting lid and allow the curry to simmer over a gentle fire (low heat) for 1.5 to 2 hours, until the chicken is completely tender and the sauce has thickened. Check occasionally to ensure it's not sticking to the bottom.
- 8Remove the lemon grass blades before serving (they should not be dished up). Taste and adjust salt if needed. Serve hot with rice or bread.
