Hyderabadi Shahi Goat Korma

Name: Hyderabadi Shahi Goat Korma
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h 20 min
Total time: 1 h 50 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Indian, Hyderabad
Ingredients: 3 Large onions, thinly sliced; ½ cup Oil; 1 kg Goat on the bone, from the shoulder and leg; 1 cup Thick plain yoghurt; 2 tbsp Ginger-garlic paste; 1 ½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder; ¼ tsp Turmeric; 1 ½ tsp Coriander powder; 1 ½ tsp Salt; ⅓ cup Cashews; 1 tbsp White poppy seeds (khus khus); 2 tbsp Dried coconut (kopra), grated; 4 Green chillies; 3 tbsp Ghee; 6 Green cardamom pods; 6 Cloves; 2 inch Cinnamon stick; 1 tsp Shahi jeera (black cumin); 2 Bay leaves; 80 g Khoya (mawa), crumbled; ½ tsp Mace powder (javitri); ½ tsp Green cardamom powder; ¾ tsp Garam masala; 1 pinch Saffron; 1 tsp Kewra water; ½ tsp Rose water; 3 tbsp Mint leaves; Salt to taste, to taste

The royal Hyderabadi wedding korma: goat braised in yoghurt with crushed birista, cashew, khoya and poppy seed, scented with saffron, kewra and rose water and finished with a slick of ghee.

Prep 30 min · Cook 80 min · Total 110 min + 2 hr marinade · Serves 6

Ingredients

Birista (fried onions)

3 Large onions, thinly sliced
½ cup Oil

Marinade

1 kg Goat on the bone, from the shoulder and leg
1 cup Thick plain yoghurt
2 tbsp Ginger-garlic paste
1 ½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
¼ tsp Turmeric
1 ½ tsp Coriander powder
1 ½ tsp Salt

Shahi paste

⅓ cup Cashews
1 tbsp White poppy seeds (khus khus)
2 tbsp Dried coconut (kopra), grated
4 Green chillies

Korma

3 tbsp Ghee
6 Green cardamom pods
6 Cloves
2 inch Cinnamon stick
1 tsp Shahi jeera (black cumin)
2 Bay leaves
80 g Khoya (mawa), crumbled
½ tsp Mace powder (javitri)
½ tsp Green cardamom powder
¾ tsp Garam masala
1 pinch Saffron
1 tsp Kewra water
½ tsp Rose water
3 tbsp Mint leaves
Salt to taste, to taste

Method

Make the birista. Fry the onions in the hot oil in batches over medium heat, stirring, until evenly deep golden. Lift out onto kitchen paper; they crisp as they cool. Keep 3 tbsp of the onion oil.
Marinate. Crush two-thirds of the birista with your hands and mix it into the goat with the yoghurt, ginger-garlic paste, chilli powder, turmeric, coriander powder and salt. Marinate for 2 hours, or overnight in the fridge.
Grind the shahi paste. Soak the cashews and poppy seeds in hot water for 10 minutes. Lightly toast the coconut in a dry pan. Grind everything with the green chillies and a little water to a very smooth paste.
Braise the goat. Heat the ghee and reserved onion oil in a heavy pot or pressure cooker. Fry the cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, shahi jeera and bay leaves for 30 seconds, add the marinated goat and cook on high heat for 10 minutes until the yoghurt reduces and the fat separates. Add 1 cup hot water. Pressure-cook to 4 whistles plus 10 minutes on low and release naturally, or simmer covered on the stovetop for 60 to 75 minutes until the meat is tender.
Add the shahi paste and khoya. Stir in the cashew paste and crumbled khoya with 1/2 cup water. Simmer uncovered on low heat, stirring often, until the gravy is thick, creamy and the ghee rises to the top.
Perfume and rest. Stir in the mace, cardamom powder, garam masala, saffron milk, kewra and rose water. Scatter over the mint and the rest of the birista, cover tightly and leave on the lowest heat for 10 minutes (dum). Serve with sheermal, khameeri roti or bagara rice.

Tips

What makes this Hyderabadi rather than Lucknowi is the cashew, poppy seed and kopra paste, the khoya and the extra spice and chilli; the Lucknowi korma stays lighter and onion-led. Make the birista the day before if you can and the korma comes together easily.