Atul Kochhar’s Tellicherry Chicken Korma Recipe | Vaasu

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The Kerala-Inspired Coconut & Pepper Curry as Seen on TV

Tellicherry Chicken Korma
Cooked on James Martin Saturday Morning (13 March 21).

SERVES 4
4 x 180g boneless chicken supreme, skin removed
6–8 tablespoons Marinade
Marinade –
50 gm. Greek yoghurt
100 ml single cream
2 tbsp coconut milk powder
50gm. cheddar cheese, grated
¼ tsp. green cardamom powder
½ tsp. Tellicherry pepper powder or pounded
½ tsp fennel powder
¼tsp. mace powder
1 tbsp. fine chopped green chilies
1 tbsp. roasted gram flour
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. ginger – garlic paste
1 tbsp chopped curry leaves
2 tbsp. Coconut oil
sea salt
Coconut oil for basting

METHOD
Mix the cheddar cheese in cream and whisk it well to blend in. Add rest of the ingredients and whisk to make a marinade. Rub the marinade well over chicken breasts and keep it aside for 2 hours. Place the chicken supreme in a roasting tray lined with a non-stick oven mat and roast for 8–10 minutes until the juices run clear when pierced with the tip of a knife. Leave to rest for 5 minutes covered with foil.

For Tellicherry Korma gravy
2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 green cardamom pods, bruised
4-6 Tellicherry black pepper corns, crushed opened
1 green chilli, chopped
6 curry leaves
2 tbsp onion paste, ( 2 onions finely chopped, sauteed & pureed)
100ml coconut milk (thick)
50 ml single cream
50g Greek-style yogurt
20 cashew nuts (Optional – soaked and blended to a fine paste)
¼ teaspoon garam masala
100ml water (optional)
½ teaspoon Cardamom–Mace – black pepper powder

To make the exquisite korma gravy, heat the coconut oil in a saucepan, add the cardamom pods and crushed peppercorns, and sauté over a medium heat until they crackle and release their aromas. Add the onion paste, green chilli, and fresh curry leaves, continuing to sauté for 3–5 minutes.

Crafting the Aromatic Coconut Milk and Pepper Korma Gravy

Whisk together the coconut milk, cream, yogurt, cashew nut paste, and garam masala, then add to the pan with salt to taste and simmer, uncovered, for 10–12 minutes until thickened. Add up to 100 ml water, if necessary, to loosen the gravy. Add the cardamom-mace powder and adjust the salt, if necessary. Keep hot until required.

TO GARNISH
12 asparagus tips, blanched
2 tbsp coconut oil
½ tsp black mustard seeds
1 tsp urad dal (black gram lentils)
5-6 curry leaves
1 tsp chopped ginger
1 shallot, fine chopped
1 green chilli chopped
2 tbsp grated coconut, fresh

24 cashew nuts, fried and sprinkled with salt and black pepper & red chilli powder

Edible purple flowers
Amaranth cress

Heat the coconut oil in a pan, then gently sauté the mustard seeds, urad dal, chopped shallots, ginger, curry leaves, and chilli. Sauté for 2–3 minutes before folding in the fresh grated coconut. Continue to sauté for a further 2–3 minutes, then gently fold in the asparagus spears, seasoning perfectly with salt and pepper. Keep warm aside until required to serve.

Heat enough oil for deep-frying until it reaches 190°C. Add the cashew nuts and fry for 1–2 minutes until golden brown. Drain well on kitchen paper to absorb the excess oil, then toss with black pepper, chilli powder and salt to taste. Set aside.

To serve, place two generous spoonfuls of the aromatic gravy onto each plate and top with a perfectly roasted chicken supreme. Elegantly garnish with the spiced asparagus and cashew nuts, and serve immediately alongside a fragrant raisin pulao.

Serve raisin pulao on the side.