Jaipuri Safed Kukkad Korma Recipe

Prepare and marinate

Trim and pat dry the chicken pieces. In a large bowl combine yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric, 1.5 tsp salt, and green chili paste. Add the chicken, coat thoroughly, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, preferably 3–4 hours or overnight for best flavor.

Soak blanched almonds, cashews and poppy seeds in warm water for 15 minutes. Drain and transfer to a blender. Add the milk and blend to a smooth, thick paste. Set aside. (This paste forms the rich white gravy of the Jaipuri safed korma.)

Separately, grind half of the sliced onions to a coarse puree with a splash of water if needed; keep the remaining sliced onions for frying.

Warm a heavy-bottomed pot or kadhai over medium heat. Add 2 tbs ghee. Add green cardamom pods (cracked slightly), black cardamom, cinnamon stick, bay leaves and peppercorns. Sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.

Add the remaining sliced onions and fry on medium-low heat, stirring often, until deep golden brown (20–25 minutes). Watch carefully to avoid burning. Remove half of the deeply browned onions and set aside for garnish and texture.

Add the onion puree to the pot with the browned onions still in it and sauté on medium heat for 3–4 minutes until the raw smell dissipates. Add the nut-milk paste, stir well and cook for 5 minutes on medium-low, stirring frequently to prevent sticking.

Add the marinated chicken pieces to the pot, arranging them so skin-side down if applicable. Sear for 3–4 minutes on each side just to take some color (the gravy will remain pale).

Pour in the warm water or chicken stock. Stir gently to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover partially and cook on low for 20–25 minutes, turning the pieces once after 12 minutes, until chicken is cooked through and tender. If using bone-in pieces, cook toward the longer end of the range.

While the chicken cooks, bloom the saffron: place saffron threads in 2 tbs warm milk and set aside. In a small pan, warm the remaining 2 tbs ghee over low heat and add ground mace, ground coriander, ground cumin and white pepper. Fry briefly (15–20 seconds) until aromatic; remove from heat.

When the chicken is tender and gravy has thickened slightly, stir in the fresh cream, the fried spice-ghee mixture, garam masala and the saffron-milk. Taste and add the additional 0.5 tsp salt if needed. Add rose water and kewra water (if using) and crushed kasuri methi; simmer gently for 2–3 minutes to combine flavors.

If the gravy is too thin, simmer uncovered on low for a few minutes until it reaches the desired consistency. If too thick, add up to 2–4 tbs warm water/stock.

Stir in chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lemon juice if using. Top with reserved fried onions and slivered almonds and pistachios. Drizzle a little extra cream or ghee on top for a luxurious finish.

Serve hot with saffron pulao, steamed basmati rice or roomali roti and cooled raita or salad alongside. Serves 4.