I cannot say I was raised in a home that exposed me to many culinary traditions … like korma!  Tex-Mex was as fancy as my palette took me until my early twenties when I moved to Houston, Texas, and BAM – my stomach has never turned back 🙂

I initially thought korma was an Indian dish because it has a remanence of curry.  But, in fact, it’s Turkish and has a variety of spellings, like kurma, qovurma, khorma, or kormaa.  This dish apparently originated in South Asia and is actually considered a mild creamy meat stew consisting of vegetables and meat braised with yogurt saffron, spices, and stock (or water). Date this beautiful dish back to the 1500’s, created in the royal kitchen of Akbar!

This recipe has actually made it to the top of my family’s list.  Why?  First, …Guit (following a strict Paleo diet in preparation for his Ironman) likes it because this recipe follows a strict Paleo regime.  And, to throw a whammy at you, my kiddos also prefer the dish because you can opt to put an excellent Basmati rice as a base.  Either way, sooooo good :)but, I added my own little twist to it with putting sprinkles of cauliflower crisps and cashews.  Can we say

And, because I felt a little confidence and Abkar royal in my kitchen, I added my own little twist to the recipe with putting sprinkles of cauliflower crisps and cashews on the top; perfect light, crunch to a creamy dish.

Chicken Korma With Cauliflower and Cashews

Serves: 4

Prep Time: 20 Minutes

Cook Time: 30 Minutes

Protein: 47 grams

Fat: 45 grams

Carbs: 44 grams

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Ingredients

Main Ingredients

• 1 lbs of skinless chicken breasts, boneless (cut into bite-sized cubes)
• 4 carrots (cut into thin slices)
• 1 head of cauliflower (cut into florets)
• 4 red potatoes (cut into bite-sized cubes)
• 1 red bell pepper (diced)
• 1/2 red onion (diced)
• 1/2 cup of frozen peas (thawed)
• 1/4 cup of lemon juice
• 1/4 cup of raw cashews (toasted)
• 4 tbsp coconut oil
• Sea salts and ground black pepper for seasoning

Korma Sauce Ingredients

• 2 cups coconut milk
• 1/4 cup raw cashews (toasted)
• 2 tbsp ginger (minced)
• 1 tbsp curry powder
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tbs red chili flakes

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Preparation

1. Take your cashews and toast them in a skillet for about 2-5 minutes, over medium heat.  You’ll know they are finished toasting once they begin slightly browning on the outside.  Once you have toasted all of the cashews, place them aside in a bowl.
2. Take your cauliflower and place into a food processor.  You’ll pulse the cauliflower until it makes a grainy consistency, almost as if it looks like rice.  You do not want to puree the cauliflower, so pulse until it meets the texture and look of small rice grains.
3. Once you have finished this step, place the cauliflower into a medium-sized skillet, along with 1 tbsp of coconut oil, and saute on medium-high for about 5-8 minutes, or until the cauliflower is soft, but starting to have a golden crisp to the outside.  Once you have finished this step, place the cauliflower to the side in a bowl.
4. Take the potatoes and cut into bite-sized cubes.  Put them into a pot, cover with cold water, sprinkle some salt into the water, and boil.  Once boiling, cook the potatoes for about 6-8 minutes.  Strain the potatoes and set aside.
5. Get the chicken breasts and cut into bite-sized cubes.  Transfer them into a skillet and saute on medium heat with 2 tbsp of coconut oil.  This may take from 8-10 minutes.  Once the chicken is cooked, drain the chicken and put the chicken back into a large skillet.
6. Add the carrots, potatoes, bell pepper, onion, and peas into the large skillet with the chicken.  Stir and cover.  Add your lemon.  Place the heat on medium-low and let cook for about 8 minutes.
7. While chicken and vegetables are simmering together, make the korma sauce:
   1. Add all of the ingredients found within the korma sauce section above into the food processor.
   2. Blend until the texture of a sauce is achieved.  Taste and adjust as preferred.
8. Pour the korma sauce into the chicken and vegetables found in the large skillet.  Stir and let simmer for 5-10 minutes. If you find you’d prefer a thinner sauce, add 1/2 cup of water.
9. Serve your chicken korma as it is (Paleo style), or make some rice to compliment the dish.  Sprinkle your cauliflower and toasted cashews along the top.
10. The best instruction, yet: Enjoy!