Taar Korma - Punjabi Food Dishes

Special Taar Korma with Punjabi Tadka

A Royal Indian Punjabi Non-Vegetarian food

Taar Korma Recipe:
500g mutton or goat, cubedFried onion-ginger-garlic paste:
1 tablespoon ghee
1 large onion, roughly cubed
3 garlic flakes, chopped roughly
1 inch piece of ginger, chopped roughlyFor the nut paste:
2 tablespoons flaked almonds
1 tablespoon chopped unsalted cashew nuts
1 tablespoon unsalted sunflower seeds
1/2 cup milkFor the rest of the dish:
1 - 2 tablespoons ghee
5 green cardamom pods
5 whole cloves
1 - 2 sticks of cinnamon, about 2 inches worth.
1 - 2 bay leaves
1 star anise
¼ cup tomato puree (around 75 ml, approx)
1½ cup hot stock (I used vegetable, as that's what I had on hand) (375 ml)
¼ cup yoghurt (around 75 ml approx)
½ tsp hot chilli powder
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 - 2 tsp salt (to taste)To finish the dish:
½ teaspoon saffron threads
1 tablespoon warm milk
¼ teaspoon crushed cardamom
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon fresh grated nutmegAdditional items:
An extra 1 cup of hot stock (250 ml), to be used as necessary.
Fresh chopped coriander, to garnishTaar Korma Method:
To make the fried onion paste, heat 1 tablespoon of ghee in a wide pan. Add the chopped onions. Fry on a medium heat for about 10 - 12 minutes, until the onion is golden and fragrant. Add the chopped ginger and garlic, and fry for another minute. Blend to a fine paste and keep aside.

To make the nut paste, soak the almonds, cashew nuts and sunflower seeds in the milk for about 15 minutes. Grind to a fine paste, adding a little more milk, if neccessary. Keep aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon of ghee in a heavy pot. Add the cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves and star anise. Stir together for about 30 - 45 seconds, until the spices are fragrant. Add the goat/ mutton pieces and fry them for about 1 - 2 minutes, until they start to brown.

Add the fried onion-ginger-garlic paste, tomato puree and hot stock to the browned goat/ mutton. Stir together and heat until just beginning to simmer.

Take the yoghurt in a bowl. Add a couple tablespoons of the simmering gravy into it, and whisk well. This will stop the yoghurt from splitting when you add it to the gravy. Gently add the tempered yoghurt into the simmering meat and gravy, and stir until it is all incorporated into the sauce.

Add the ground black pepper and chilli powder to the sauce. Stir well. Then add salt to taste. Stir again.

Bring it to a gentle boil, then turn the heat low, and cover the pot. Let the meat slow cook, until it is fork tender. This could take anywhere between 1 - 2 hours. Test by taking a small piece out and sticking a fork in it. If it falls apart, the meat is cooked.

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Very gently, lift the pieces of meat into an oven safe pot or casserole.

Take out the bay leaf and the cinnamon stick(s). You can also strain out the gravy, if you wish, but you'll strain out all the nicest bits if you do.

Return the gravy/ sauce to the heat, and whisk in the nut paste. Cook for 2 - 3 minutes. If the sauce becomes too thick, add the additional hot stock, 1/4 cup at a time, until the consistency is to your liking. It should be rich and creamy, but not overly thick.

Whisk in the saffron + the milk it was soaked in, into the sauce. Stir in the crushed cardamom, ground cloves, ground cinnamon and grated nutmeg.

Taste and adjust the salt, if necessary.

Pour this sauce/ gravy over the meat pieces. Cover the casserole or pot tightly with foil and place a lid on top. Place in the oven, and cook for an additional 20 - 25 minutes.

Take out of the oven, and let it rest for a few minutes. Stir, then garnish with fresh coriander, just before serving.

Serve with naan or saffron rice for a truly regal experience.