৬
মুরগির কোরমা (Murgir Korma)
Bone-in chicken · Fried onion beresta · Ghee and milk powder finish
মায়ের রেসিপি (Mom's Recipe)
This chicken korma uses yogurt, whole spices, and fried onions. Mom cooks it without turmeric. The finished gravy is golden brown.
She crushes the fried onions, called beresta, with milk powder and ghee. This mixture thickens the chicken gravy.
The recordings show home cooking without measuring spoons or scales. Chicken weight, yogurt, sliced onions, and braising liquids were not measured. Counted whole spices and spoon additions are recorded where visible.
The ingredients
Skinless bone-in pieces scored deeply with diagonal cuts
Laxmi brand; spooned onto chicken
Shown beside the garlic paste. The recordings do not establish the amount or the ratio of the two pastes.
Chobani plain Greek yogurt; applied directly to chicken
Shan Korma seasoning blend sprinkled over chicken
Morton salt sprinkled from canister onto chicken
One spoonful is shown. The spoon size was not measured.
Kirkland canola oil; shallow layer for frying onions and chicken
Thinly sliced, fried until golden brown for beresta
Whole dried bay leaves
Flat dried cassia bark stick
Whole green cardamom pods
White peppercorns shown on the spice plate. The exact count is uncertain.
Shirin brand dried mace blades
Nido whole milk powder. The spoon size was not measured.
Baghabari ghee. The spoon size was not measured.
Added during braising to enrich gravy and reduce needed water
Added as needed depending on milk volume
The method
Follow the cooking cues and watch each stage below.
Cut deep diagonal incisions into the quarters and drumsticks down to the bone.
Add , , , and into the bowl.
Season with and dust the chicken with a spoonful of . Massage the marinade into every slit by hand until the chicken is evenly coated.
Heat in a pan over medium heat. Add the and fry them steadily until they soften.
Add the and to the onions. Add the prepared , , and with the whole spices.
Continue frying until the onions turn golden brown and crisp. Scoop out the fried onions into a bowl to make beresta, leaving the spice-infused oil in the pan. If the oil is excessive, remove some and set it aside.
Place the marinated into the pan with the hot . Sear the chicken pieces without adding turmeric.
Cover the pan with a tight-fitting glass lid to trap the steam. Let the chicken cook gently so it releases juices and begins to tenderize.
Let the fried cool enough to handle. Add two spoonfuls of and one spoonful of . The spoon sizes were not measured.
Crush and mix with clean fingers until the onions break into small pieces.
Uncover the pan and flip the with a wooden spatula so both sides cook evenly.
Stir the prepared beresta paste into the pan along with and a splash of as needed. Adding milk enriches the braise and lowers the amount of water required.
Cover the pan again and let the chicken simmer until tender and a golden braised color develops.
Cook uncovered or partially covered to reduce the braising liquid. The gravy should cling tightly to the .
Keep the heat low until the spiced oil completely separates from the gravy and pools along the bottom of the pan.
Check the thickest part of the chicken with a food thermometer, away from the bone. It must reach 165°F (74°C). Gravy color and oil separation do not show whether the chicken is cooked safely.
| Term | Bengali | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| beresta | বেরেস্তা | crispy deep-fried sliced onions used for flavor and garnish |
| koshano | কষানো | braising and reducing spices in oil until the fat separates |
| gawa ghee | গাওয়া ঘি | traditional clarified butter made from cow's milk |
| phoron | ফোড়ন | whole spices bloomed in hot fat to release essential oils |
Serve warm with plain steamed rice, polao, or flatbread.