Navratan Chicken Korma-Curry With Nine Nuts, One Pot Method
Navratan Murg Korma
Mamta Gupta
The word Navratan is a combination of two Hindi words; 'nav' meaning nine and 'ratan' meaning jewel. This 'Nine Jewels' chicken korma curry is a lightly spiced, creamy and fragrant, very delicately flavoured. The nine jewels in it are the nine different types of dry fruits. Often, it can have a selection of vegetables added. You can make it as a mixed vegetable curry, with vegetables only. Here, I have cooked this as a one pot dish, in a slow cooker, but you can cook it on low heat on a stove or in an oven. Once the ingredients are assembled, it is an easy dish to prepare.
It is said that this dish was first created by the Emperor Akbar's cook in the sixteenth Century. Akbar was born 400 years and 4 days (!!) before my husband, or so he tells me! Also see Navratan Lamb.
Serves 6-7
Edited June 2024
Ingredients
1 kg. chicken pieces, skin removed
2-3 medium onions peeled and sliced
For the Navratan (nine jewel) paste:
1 1/2 cup mixed nuts - cashew nuts, walnuts, blanched green pistachio & almonds, melon seeds, watermelon seeds, chironji/charoli, a handful of raisins, pine kernels, sunflower seeds.
1/2-1 cup of water
For the marinade:
1 cup or 1 small carton natural yoghurt or dahi
2 tsp. salt or to taste
A pinch each of mace (javitri) and nutmeg (jaiphal). Optional
3-4 green cardamoms or illaichi
2 bay leaves or tej-patta
1 inch piece of cinnamon stick or dalchini
3-4 whole cloves or laung or lavang
4-5 black peppers corns or kali mirch
1 1/2 inch piece ginger, grated
A couple of green chillies, finely chopped
1/4-1/2 tsp. chilli powder, adjust to taste
1-2 tsp. sweet paprika powder for colour
A few strands of saffron
1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
2 tsp. coriander powder
1/2 cup cream
Instructions
Remove skin from chicken pieces and keep aside in the frisge.
Soak almonds and pistachios in warm water or cook in microwave for 1 minute on full. Allow to cool to hand warm and peel the skins off.
Place all the nuts, seeds and raisins into a blender with just enough water to make it into a paste. Don't make it too watery, it should cling to the chicken.
Add all other marinade ingredients and mix.
Add chicken pieces, fold them in to cover with the marinade and leave in the fridge overnight, or at least a few hours.
Cooking:
Place the chicken and its marinade in a slow cooker.
Cook it on high until it comes to boil.
Now turn it down to low and leave it to cook for 5-6 hours, until the chicken is cooked.
Check and adjust seasoning.
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves, if desired.
Serve hot, with Tandoori Roti, or Nan.If you do not have a slow cooker, cook on a hob, bring it to a brisk boil and then leave it on low heat for as long as it takes the chicken to cook.
Notes
You can add a few whole nuts for garnish.
