Name: Korma Curry Paste Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 min
Total time: 16 min
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 1 tbsp cumin seeds; 2 tbsp coriander seeds; 4 green cardamom pods; 1/2 tsp ground turmeric (turmeric powder); 2 tbsp garam masala; 1 tsp red chili powder; 3 tbsp rapeseed or vegetable oil; 1 tbsp water; 3 garlic cloves, crushed; 2” fresh ginger, grated; 1 tbsp tomato paste; 2 tbsp desiccated coconut; 2 tbsp almond flour (or cashew nuts that have been soaked in water for 10 minutes)

Silver spoon with a scoop of Indian Korma Curry Paste

One of the world’s most loved curry paste blends

Korma curry paste consists of a blend of spices and coconut and is considered one of the mildest Indian curry pastes. For this reason, it is extremely popular in Western parts of the world and with anyone who loves Indian flavours but is averse to excessive spiciness and chilli in their food.

Korma curry is a restaurant standard

Do a little research and you will see that Korma curry dishes are listed on every Indian restaurant menu around the world. When cooking curry at home, prepared jarred versions can be bought easily in supermarkets or online, but for best results, it’s worth making your own homemade batch.

What does Korma Curry Paste Contain?

Like any Indian spice blend, recipes vary from person to person. The typical ingredients for a korma spice blend are cumin seeds, coriander seeds, black or green cardamon, turmeric, cinnamon, garlic, ginger, paprika, cashews or almonds and desiccated coconut. This combination produces a soft, fragrant sauce that pairs very well with chicken, vegetables, and fish.

Korma paste ingredients

Cashew or almonds nuts are used to thicken the spices along with oil and turn it into a paste. As korma is almost always blended with yoghurt, cream or coconut milk the addition of desiccated coconut helps bind flavour.

Table spread with Mango Korma Chicken Curry, basmati rice, lemon wedges, lime pickle and glasses of beer

How to cook with korma curry paste

Korma curry paste is used to make one of the most famous dishes known as Chicken Korma. The paste is blended with yoghurt to make a thick sauce, first used to marinate the chicken, then basted over it as it’s cooked over a coal fire.

Here is a recipe you can try at home, this version uses creamy coconut milk to create a mild fragrant and creamy sauce. For an extra exotic appeal, fresh mango is blended into the sauce for a touch of sweetness. Recipe here: Mango Korma Chicken Curry recipe (pictured above).

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