Korma

Korma is chicken braised in a mild, creamy sauce of yogurt, cashew paste and warm spices. It is one of the gentlest curries to come out of the Mughal kitchen, built for richness and fragrance rather than heat.

What it really is

Cashews are soaked and ground into a smooth paste, which thickens the sauce without the sharpness a tomato base would bring. Chicken is browned lightly with onion, then braised slowly in yogurt and the cashew paste along with cardamom, cinnamon and other warm, sweetish spices — chilli plays only a background role, if it appears at all, which is what separates korma from almost every other curry on the same menu.

The sauce should never split. Yogurt added to a pan that's too hot curdles instead of blending smooth, so korma is finished on low heat and stirred gently rather than left to boil hard.

How it is served

• In a bowl with naan or steamed rice.
• Garnished with a few whole cashews or a little cream drizzled over.
• As a milder option specifically for guests who find other curries too spicy.

How to write it on the menu

• Flag the dairy and the cashews plainly; both are structural to the sauce, not garnish.
• Say that it is mild, since guests often assume "curry" means spicy and korma is the deliberate exception.
• Note whether a vegetable or paneer version is offered alongside the chicken one, since both are traditional.

The ingredients, allergens and dietary notes listed here describe a typical recipe. They are not a binding declaration for any particular restaurant: recipes, portion sizes and the products used can differ.