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Curry garam masala Gluten Free Korma stove top Vegetarian

Stovetop: Pistachio Korma

February 12, 2025

Stovetop: Pistachio Korma
Pistachio and korma

KORMA COMES FROM THE URDU WORD QORMA AND REFERS TO A COOKING TECHNIQUE OF BRAISING MEAT IN YOGURT AND/OR STOCK.

This style of cooking has its roots in Mughal court kitchens. When you think about curry - it's thinner and usually tomato-based. A korma is thicker, creamier, and indulgent. Think about a butter chicken - I would put that in the korma category, though there are always middle grounds with dishes.

In this specific example, I used pistachios - not typically used - to create a beautiful light green/yellow-hued curry along with some cream and yogurt. You can replace the pistachios with any nuts - I was thinking of trying pecans and macadamia nuts! But, keep the technique the same - soak them, remove the skin, and then grind them down into a paste. Cashews would be perfect and are commonly used.

Bowl of Pistachios

Because I love how delicate this dish is, I did not add tomatoes or cilantro as some recipes call for. I prefer to finish it with a sprinkle of ground cardamom for a luxurious and delicious korma that will hit the spot every time. Thank you to everyone who joined my Curry Virtual Master Class in February and cooked this up with me. Always remember, the best way to learn is to cook it yourself. Consider joining our next one - A Coconut Egg Curry class in March!

Teaching virtual coking class
Pistachio Korma

Stovetop: Pistachio Korma

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup raw, unsalted shelled pistachios (6 ounces)
  • 1-inch piece ginger, roughly chopped
  • 6 cloves garlic
  • 8-10 Thai chiles, stems removed, divided (half chopped/half thinly sliced)
  • ¼ cup heavy cream (dairy or alternative)
  • 3 tablespoons plain regular yogurt (not Greek), whisked with a fork
  • 3 tablespoons oil (avocado, a mild olive, coconut) or ghee, divided
  • 1 medium yellow onion, minced
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
  • 1 ¼ teaspoons fennel seeds
  • 2 cups water or light-colored stock (chicken, garlic, or light vegetable)
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 pounds protein (chicken breast, firm tofu) or vegetables like cauliflower/carrots/sweet potatoes, chopped into large chunks
  • 1 teaspoon green cardamom powder (ground seeds)

Instructions

  1. Soak the pistachios in hot, boiling water for at least 10 minutes. Drain and once cool, rub to remove and discard the skins. Set the pistachios aside. Removing the skin gives the dish a very light, pleasant greenish color and makes the dish smoother. 
  2. In a food processor, grind the ginger and garlic together until smooth. Remove and set aside. 
  3. Add the pistachios from Step 1 (no need to wash the food processor) along with half the chiles (roughly chopped), the cream, and the yogurt. Process until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. 
  4. Heat a medium, heavy pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil or ghee. Once warm, add the onion and bay leaves and cook until the onions are slightly brown, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
  5. Add the ginger/garlic paste from Step 2, the garam masala, turmeric, white pepper, and fennel seeds. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
  6. Add the pistachio paste from Step 3 and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring. Add the water or stock, salt, and remaining chiles (thinly sliced) and simmer for 5-8 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly. Turn the heat off and let the pan sit on that same burner while you prepare the protein. 
  7. In a separate pan, add 1 tablespoon of the oil or ghee. Add the protein and sauté for 5-6 minutes until just about cooked. 
  8. Transfer the protein to the sauce, stir, and cook for another 5-6 minutes until it is cooked through and everything pulls together. If using tofu/vegetables, the cooking time will be less. If using bone-in chicken the cook time will be about 30-40 minutes in total.  
  9. Remove and discard the bay leaves (all of the other spices are edible), garnish with cardamom powder, and serve with plain basmati rice or naan. 

Other Ideas and Notes: 

Make the sauce (until Step 6) and use it to drizzle over roasted cauliflower steaks or other veggies. You can store the sauce once cooled in the fridge for up to two weeks or in the freezer for up to three months. When using veggies in this dish, go for larger chunks of carrots, onion, sweet potatoes, and even eggplant. Want an extra gourmet touch? Soak green or yellow raisins in water for 10 minutes and sprinkle a few over the dish before serving. 

[[ recipeID=recipe-2m726vm1o, title=Stovetop: Pistachio Korma ]]

 




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Stovetop: Pistachio Korma

Servings: cups

Keywords: indian recipes, pistachios, korma, pistachio korma, vegetarian, chicken, curry, indian curry

  • Prep Time: 0 mins
  • Cook Time: 0 mins
  • Total Time: 0 mins

Ingredients

Instructions

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup raw, unsalted shelled pistachios (6 ounces)
  • 1 inch piece ginger, roughly chopped
  • 6 cloves garlic
  • 8-10 Thai chiles, stems removed, divided (half chopped/half thinly sliced)
  • ¼ cup heavy cream (dairy or alternative)
  • 3 tablespoons plain regular yogurt (not Greek), whisked with a fork
  • 3 tablespoons oil (avocado, a mild olive, coconut) or ghee, divided
  • 1 medium yellow onion, minced
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon Garam Masala
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
  • 1 ¼ teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 2 cups water or light-colored stock (chicken, garlic, or light vegetable)
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 pounds protein (chicken breast, firm tofu) or vegetables like cauliflower/carrots/sweet potatoes, chopped into large chunks
  • 1 teaspoon green cardamom powder (ground seeds)

Instructions

  1. Soak the pistachios in hot, boiling water for at least 10 minutes. Drain and once cool, rub to remove and discard the skins. Set the pistachios aside. Removing the skin gives the dish a very light, pleasant greenish color and makes the dish smoother.
  2. In a food processor, grind the ginger and garlic together until smooth. Remove and set aside. 
  3. Add the pistachios from Step 1 (no need to wash the food processor) along with half the chiles (roughly chopped), the cream, and the yogurt. Process until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. 
  4. Heat a medium, heavy pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil or ghee. Once warm, add the onion and bay leaves and cook until the onions are slightly brown, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
  5. Add the ginger/garlic paste from Step 2, the garam masala, turmeric, white pepper, and fennel seeds. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
  6. Add the pistachio paste from Step 3 and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring. Add the water or stock, salt, and remaining chiles (thinly sliced) and simmer for 5-8 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly. Turn the heat off and let the pan sit on that same burner while you prepare the protein
  7. In a separate pan, add 1 tablespoon of the oil or ghee. Add the protein and sauté for 5-6 minutes until just about cooked. 
  8. Transfer the protein to the sauce, stir, and cook for another 5-6 minutes until it is cooked through and everything pulls together. If using tofu/vegetables, the cooking time will be less. If using bone-in chicken the cook time will be about 30-40 minutes in total.  
  9. Remove and discard the bay leaves (all of the other spices are edible), garnish with cardamom powder, and serve with plain basmati rice or naan. 

Notes

Make the sauce (until Step 6) and use it to drizzle over roasted cauliflower steaks or other veggies. You can store the sauce once cooled in the fridge for up to two weeks or in the freezer for up to three months. When using veggies in this dish, go for larger chunks of carrots, onion, sweet potatoes, and even eggplant. Want an extra gourmet touch? Soak green or yellow raisins in water for 10 minutes and sprinkle a few over the dish before serving. 


This recipe is by Anupy Singla, Indian As Apple Pie.