Ingredients

• 2 lbs boneless chicken thighs, in large pieces
• 1/2 cup full-fat yogurt
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
• 3/4 cup raw cashews, soaked 20 minutes in hot water
• 2 tbsp LXV Garam Chai Spice Blend, divided
• 3 tbsp ghee
• 2 yellow onions, sliced thin
• 2 green cardamom pods, 1 bay leaf and a 1-inch cinnamon stick
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1 tbsp rose water or 2 tsp kewra water
• A pinch of saffron, bloomed in 2 tbsp warm milk
• Slivered almonds and rose petals, to finish

Method

1. Marinate the chicken in the yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, salt and 1 tsp of the LXV Garam Chai Spice Blend for 30 minutes while you build the base.
2. Blend the drained cashews with 1/2 cup water into a completely smooth cream. Set aside.
3. Heat the ghee in a heavy pan over medium. Fry the sliced onions 15-18 minutes until evenly golden — not brown. A korma wants sweetness, not caramel bitterness.
4. Lift out half the onions and reserve them for garnish. To the rest, add the cardamom pods, bay leaf and cinnamon and fry 1 minute.
5. Add the remaining Garam Chai blend and toast 30 seconds. The tea and tulsi in it will smell like a chai stall.
6. Add the marinated chicken and cook over medium heat 8 minutes, turning, until it firms up and turns opaque. Do not brown it — this is a pale curry.
7. Pour in the stock, cover, and simmer gently 15 minutes.
8. Stir in the cashew cream and simmer uncovered 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the chicken. Keep it below a boil or the yogurt will split.
9. Finish with the cream, rose water and saffron milk. Taste for salt, and rest off the heat 5 minutes.
10. Top with the reserved fried onions, slivered almonds and a few rose petals.

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