MUTTON KORMA MADE SIMPLE
A Delicious Mutton Curry to warm you up on those cold damp rainy days
A Delicious Mutton Curry to warm you up on those cold damp rainy days
By
VIKRAM KARVE
Long back, in the late 1960’s or early 1970’s I think, in Bareilly, we once went for a meal in a restaurant called Rio, if I remember correctly, and I wonder if Rio Restaurant still exists in Bareilly.
As everyone ordered chicken and veg dishes, I wanted to have mutton that day, and in the list of the usual mutton dishes I spotted Mutton Korma and decided to eat it.
Inquisitive, I wanted to know what “Korma” meant, so I asked, and they told me that Korma means gravy made without haldi (turmeric).
Is this a fact?
Can some culinary expert tell us more about this – is this true or is it just a myth?
I was curious, so they allowed me into the kitchen and let me see this simple dish being prepared – this is the first non-veg recipe I learnt, and I make it often because it is simple and straightforward to cook.
Let me share the recipe for a simple Korma with you.
Heat pure ghee, yes, pure ghee, in a vessel.
I never pressure cook meat as I feel slow cooking brings out the taste best.
Add the whole masalas [tejpatta, cardamom (choti and badi elaichi), laung, dalchini, kali miri (peppercorn)], sauté till they start crackling, and then put in lots of finely chopped onions and fry till brown and crisp, add ginger garlic paste, red chillies, and fry till the moisture evaporates, then add the mutton pieces, and stir lightly, and gently roast the mutton in its own juices till dry.
Now add whipped curds, and let the mutton cook in the curds, stirring very slightly from time to time, and when it becomes dry and starts sticking to the bottom, add water, cover, and simmer on slow fire, stirring once in a while, till done.
When almost ready, add salt to taste, a little cardamom powder for flavour, give a final simmering boil to the curry, garnish with fresh coriander, and the Mutton Korma is ready to eat with chapatti, roti, pav, or rice, whatever you like.
I like cooking and eating mutton korma – it’s simple to cook, no fancy laborious time-consuming preparations and marinades, it’s not too spicy and tastes nice and mild, and the dish is ready to eat in half an hour.
About the “turmeric” part, will someone please enlighten us?
I cook korma without turmeric but I’ve seen recipes of korma which include turmeric.
I cook korma without turmeric but I’ve seen recipes of korma which include turmeric.
Try out this simple dish – you’ll relish a freshly prepared delicious steaming korma with piping hot chapatis or fresh fluffy pav on a cold rainy day.
I love a vegetarian dish called Navratan Korma too – it’s nice and sweetish, I don’t know how to make it, but from the taste looks like it too doesn’t contain turmeric.
Happy Cooking and Blissful Eating!
VIKRAM KARVE
Copyright © Vikram Karve 2011
Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.
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About Vikram Karve
A creative person with a zest for life, Vikram Karve is a retired Naval Officer turned full time writer. Educated at IIT Delhi, ITBHU Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale and Bishops School Pune, Vikram has published two books: COCKTAIL a collection of fiction short stories about relationships (2011) and APPETITE FOR A STROLL a book of Foodie Adventures(2008) and is currently working on his novel. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories and creative non-fiction articles in magazines and journals for many years before the advent of blogging. Vikram has taught at a University as a Professor for almost 14 years and now teaches as a visiting faculty and devotes most of his time to creative writing. Vikram lives in Pune India with his family and muse - his pet dog Sherry with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.
Vikram Karve Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/vikramkarve
Email: vikramkarve@sify.com Fiction Short Stories Book
Foodie Book: Appetite for a Stroll
2 comments:
Predominantly the turmeric part is rite..but people normally like to customize dishes as per their taste so u would find turmeric..like my mom thinks that turmeric cleanses any meat in much better way so kormas in our house is always yellow :)... and did you know that Korma when it travelled from north to south became Kurma...and have fresh coconut and coconut milk added instead of yogurt and cream :) :)
@ Sunita - You are right - the "kurma" they serve in Kerala is delicious with the yummy coconut milk. Turmeric does have antiseptic properties like you say, so maybe rub the meat with turmeric and wash it away
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