Mirchwangan Korma - Chilli Red Korma (Kashmir)
This recipes comes from Pat Chapman's 250 Favourite Curries and Accompaniments
This dish is far removed from the formula curry as Kent is from Kashmir, whence is comes. Having been lulled into thinking korma meant 'mild', this searingly hot korma puts the record right. In fact korma actually describes a method of cooking, where the water contents is reduced out completely leaving the ghee or oil.
At a Kashmiri wedding feast, it is traditional to serve a number of kormas - a white one (using cream and ground nuts), a green one (using herbs), and this one, using the blood-red colouring Kashmiri chilli.
Serves 4
Ingredients
675 g (11/2 lb) lean boned leg of lamb
4 tablespoons butter ghee
4-6 flakes Alkanet Root (Ratan Jot)
2-4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
225 g (8 oz) red onions, chopped
fragrant stock or water
1 teaspoon Garam Masala
aromatic salt to taste
Marinade
1 tablespoon tomato purée
1 tablespoon Sweet Noble Paprika
110 ml (4 floz) red wine
25 ml (1 floz) bottled beetroot vinegar
1 bottled beetroot, about the size of a ping-pong ball, drained and sliced
20 fresh red chillies, coarsley chopped
1 red bell pepper, coarsley chopped
Masala
15 cm (6 inch) piece cassia bark
12 green cardamoms
10 cloves
8 bay leaves
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
Method
1. Cut the meat into cubes about 4 cm (11/2 inches) in size, remembering that thye will shrink during cooking as the liquids come out.
2. Put all the marinade ingredients in a blender, and process to a loose paste.
3. Place the paste in a large non-metallic bowl with the meat, and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 24-60 hours.
4. Preheat the oven to 190˙C / 375˙F - Gas 5.
5. Heat the ghee in a karahi or wok and add the alkanet root, which will colour the ghee red in a few seconds. Strain, using a metal strainer, and keep the oil. Discard the alkanet.
6. Return the red ghee to the pan, reheat, and stir-fry the garlic for 1 minute, then add the masala and onions, and stir-fry for about 5 minutes.
7. Put the fried ingredients and the meat and marinade into a 2.25-2.75 litre (4-5 pint) lidded casserole dish, put the lid on, and place it in the oven.
8. After 20 minutes, inspect and stir the korma, adding stock or water if it is becoming too dry.
9. Repeat 20 minutes later, this time adding the garam masala and salt to taste.
10. Cook for a further 20 minutes, then serve with plain rice.
Note
To make this dish even hotter, use only red Scotch Bonnet or Habañero chillies, and use 1 tablespoon extra-hot chilli powder instead of paprika.
Recipe Testing Notes
13/09/2010 - Used Scotch Bonnet chillies - lovely!
