Recipe: A Masterchef Alum’s “Gateway” Chicken Korma, Ready in Under an Hour

Bengali cuisine is one of the world’s most underrepresented, but Kishwar Chowdhury is out to change that. In her debut cookbook, Smoke, Rice, Water, the Masterchef alum offers 100 accessible recipes from the Bay of Bengal, the region spanning most of Bangladesh and parts of east India. The new cookbook offers approachable street snacks to ancient Mughal court dishes. According to Chowdhury, this chicken korma recipe is your “gateway dish” into the cuisine.

“Chicken korma is possibly the most beloved of all kormas,” she writes. “It’s no fuss, yet undeniably elegant, a cornerstone of Bengali entertaining.”

The dish’s roots trace back to the royal courts of Azerbaijan and Persia, but the Bengali version is less spice-driven. Its creamy gravy balances cashew paste, rosewater and sultanas to create a delicate, aromatic and slightly sweet show stopper.

It’s best paired with a buttery pulao, a combination Chowdhury describes as to Bengali cuisine what Hainanese chicken rice is to Southeast Asia.

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Bengali chicken korma

Serves 4
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

1 whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces (you can ask your butcher to do this)
½ cup (125g) Greek-style yoghurt
4 tbsp ghee
2 cinnamon sticks
4 cardamom pods
4 cloves
1 strand mace
1 onion, diced
1 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp nutmeg, freshly grated
½ tsp sugar
1 tbsp cashew paste
1 tbsp sultanas, plus extra to garnish
½ tsp rosewater
Juice of ½ lemon
Pinch of gorom moshla, also known as Bengali garam masala (find recipe below)
Salt, to taste
Bereshta or deep-fried onion, to garnish (find recipe below)

Method

Start by marinating the chicken. In a bowl, mix the yoghurt with a pinch of salt, thoroughly coating the chicken pieces. Leave to one side while you prepare the base of the korma.

In a saucepan, heat the ghee over medium heat. Once it’s warm, add the cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods, cloves and mace. Let them sizzle gently for 3 minutes, releasing their deep, aromatic flavours into the oil – this step lays the foundation of the dish, so give the spices a moment to bloom.

Add the onion to the pan, sauteeing slowly until it turns a rich golden brown. This caramelisation builds sweetness and depth in the korma, so take your time here. Once the onion is golden, stir in the garlic and ginger paste and let it cook for 1–2 minutes, or until the raw aroma dissipates.

Next, add the marinated chicken to the pan. Stir well to coat each piece in the fragrant mixture and let it sear slightly on all sides. This stage, known as bhuna, allows the flavours to develop and deepen. Sprinkle in the ground coriander, nutmeg and sugar, stirring well to combine. Add the cashew paste and allow to thicken slightly. Pour in about 1 cup (250ml) of water – just enough to create a silky, loose sauce. Cover the pan and let the chicken simmer gently for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Once the chicken is tender and infused with the spices, stir in the sultanas, rosewater and lemon juice for balance. Finish with a pinch of gorom moshla to round out the flavours. Taste for seasoning, adjusting if needed. Serve warm, garnished with extra sultanas and bereshta.

Gorom moshla (Bengali garam masala)

Makes 1 small jar
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

3–4 green cardamom pods
5 cloves
2 small cinnamon sticks
1 tbsp black peppercorns
1 dried red chilli
1 bay leaf
6 tbsp cumin seeds
4 tbsp coriander seeds
½ tsp nutmeg, toasted and grated
½ tsp blade mace (optional, for extra floral notes)
1 star anise (optional, adds a subtle liquorice aroma)

Method

Combine all ingredients in a heavy-based flat pan. Place on low heat and let the spices warm through, tossing occasionally; they will darken slightly as they release their oils and become fragrant. Remove from the heat, leave to cool, then grind to a fine powder using a spice or coffee grinder. Store in a dry jar.

Bereshta (deep-fried onion)

Makes 1 cup
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20–30 minutes

Ingredients

3 tbsp mustard oil or ghee (or a neutral oil, if preferred)
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
Pinch of salt

Method

Heat the oil or ghee in a wide, heavy-bottomed pan over medium-low heat. Add the thinly sliced onions and a pinch of salt. Fry slowly, stirring frequently, until the onions turn a deep golden-brown and become crispy at the edges. This can take 20–30 minutes, but patience is key. When ready, remove from the heat and reserve for garnish. (Any unused bereshta can be stored in an airtight container for later use.)

This is an edited extract from Smoke, Rice, Water by Kishwar Chowdhury, published by Hardie Grant Books. Photography by Armelle Habib, Ata M Adnan, Rana Pandey (Koi Worldwide) and the Chowdhury family archive. Illustrations by DhakaYeah.