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      Title: (AFA) About Korma
 Categories: Indian, Info
      Yield: 1 text file
 
           Korma
 
  Korma is a pretty complex subject. Simply, it translates to 'braise',
  meaning both fat/oil and water present to cook a (usually) meat dish
  in a low oven (typically) 120 C. The meat is usually spiced and fried
  with yoghurt before a little water (could be a stock) or cream is
  added and the whole sealed (not under pressure!) and cooked slowly.

  The origin is probably middle eastern, and one can envisage these
  dishes being started on a log fire, but finished in the coolest
  embers, I have a book which talks about putting the embers on the
  lid.

  However, a korma is not one dish (as a vindaloo, or dhansak) but a
  whole range of dishes, typified by using yoghurt and finishing in
  a 'slow' oven (or glowing embers). It is usually a rich dish, made
  with lamb or chicken, and can incorporate nuts. I think the
  inclusion of coconut is more of a recent modification, for kormas
  are associated with regions of Persia via Pakistan and J&K.

  The 'restaurant' version is a bit of a mixture of kormas (at best)
  and is usually thought of as a very mild dish. As has been stated
  above, it is not a dish, but a method of cooking, so there are
  probably hundreds of variations, and not all of them are mild
  (chilli wise or spice wise). There is one korma, called a
  marchwagan, (probably a version of mirch wagan, to indicate
  chillies) which is much hotter than a pukka vindaloo. The korma is
  probably the most extensive family of dishes in Indian cuisine.
  
  Others include true curries (stews, perhaps vindaloo fits in here;
  by the way, there is no bindaloo or tindaloo or phall in Indian
  cooking!), bhoona (frying or sauteing), dumming (steaming in a
  closed vessel). Life gets more complicated when two or more
  techniques are used, to provide one with a huge range of dishes,
  in my very humble opinion, the best the world has to offer. Hopes
  this helps, always willing to help if I can.

  cheers

  Wazza

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