A luxurious Mughlai curry featuring hard-boiled eggs simmered in a creamy, aromatic gravy made from almonds, yogurt, and fragrant spices. This rich and nutty korma is a royal treat, perfect for special meals.
Tender mutton and fragrant basmati rice cooked in a rich, aromatic broth of whole spices. This Mughlai classic is a one-pot meal that's perfect for special occasions, delivering subtle yet complex flavors in every bite.
Creamy Badami Anda Korma with aromatic Yakhni Pulao – perfectly spiced comfort food for lunch!
This awadhi dish is perfect for lunch. With 1038.6 calories and 60g of protein per serving, it's a nutritious choice for your meal plan.
28gfat
Bay Leaf
1.5 tsp Coriander Powder
0.25 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Kashmiri Red Chili Powder (for color and mild heat)
0.5 tsp Garam Masala
1.25 tsp Salt (or to taste)
0.5 tsp Sugar (optional, to balance tartness)
2 tbsp Fresh Cream (optional, for extra richness)
1 tsp Kewra Water
1.5 cup Water (warm)
2 tbsp Coriander Leaves (chopped, for garnish)
Instructions
1
Prepare Eggs and Almond Paste
Place eggs in a saucepan, cover with cold water, and bring to a rolling boil. Cook for 10 minutes to hard-boil. Drain, cool under running cold water, and peel carefully.
Gently prick each boiled egg a few times with a fork or toothpick. This helps them absorb the gravy. Set aside.
While eggs are boiling, soak almonds in hot water for 15-20 minutes. Peel the skins off.
Grind the blanched almonds with 2-3 tablespoons of water in a blender to a very smooth, fine paste. Set aside.
2
Sauté Aromatics and Build the Base
Heat ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan or kadai over medium heat. Add the whole spices: bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cloves, and green cardamom. Sauté for 30-40 seconds until they become fragrant.
Add the finely chopped onions. Cook, stirring frequently, for 10-12 minutes until they turn a deep golden brown. This step is crucial for the flavor and color of the korma.
Add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté for another 2 minutes until the raw aroma disappears.
3
Create the Korma Gravy
Add the spice powders: coriander powder, turmeric powder, and Kashmiri red chili powder. Stir for 30 seconds on low heat.
Add the prepared almond paste. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring continuously, until the paste is fragrant and you see ghee separating from the mixture at the edges.
Reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Add the whisked curd gradually, a spoonful at a time, while stirring constantly. This prevents the curd from splitting. Once all the curd is incorporated, cook for 5-6 minutes until the gravy thickens and oil surfaces again.
4
Simmer and Finish the Korma
Pour in 1.5 cups of warm water, add salt and optional sugar. Stir well to combine and bring the gravy to a gentle simmer.
Cover the pan and let it cook on low heat for 8-10 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together.
Gently slide the pricked hard-boiled eggs into the gravy. Simmer for another 5 minutes, allowing the eggs to absorb the flavors of the korma.
Turn off the heat. Stir in the garam masala, fresh cream (if using), and kewra water. Mix gently.
Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot.
Servings
4
Serving size: 1.5 cup
665cal
43gprotein
76gcarbs
20gfat
Ingredients
500 g Mutton (Bone-in, cut into 2-inch pieces)
300 g Basmati Rice (Approx. 1.5 cups, preferably aged)
60 ml Ghee (Approx. 4 tbsp)
300 g Onion (Approx. 2 large; 1 quartered for yakhni, rest thinly sliced)
125 g Dahi (Approx. 1/2 cup, whisked until smooth)
15 g Ginger Garlic Paste (Approx. 1 tbsp)
3 pcs Green Chili (Slit lengthwise)
1 tbsp Fennel Seeds (For the spice potli)
1 tbsp Coriander Seeds (For the spice potli)
1 inch piece Ginger (Roughly chopped, for yakhni)
6 pcs Garlic Cloves (Lightly crushed, for yakhni)
1 pcs Bay Leaf
1 pcs Black Cardamom
4 pcs Green Cardamom
4 pcs Cloves
1 inch piece Cinnamon Stick
1 tsp Black Peppercorns
1 pinch Saffron (Soaked in 2 tbsp warm milk)
30 ml Milk (Warm, for soaking saffron)
1 tsp Kewra Water (Optional, for fragrance)
1 liter Water (Approx. 4 cups, for making the yakhni)
2 tsp Salt (Divided, or to taste)
Instructions
1
Preparation
Rinse the basmati rice under cool water until the water runs clear. Soak it in plenty of water for 30 minutes.
Take a small piece of muslin cloth. Place the fennel seeds and coriander seeds inside and tie it tightly to create a spice bag (potli).
In a small bowl, soak the saffron strands in 2 tbsp of warm milk and set aside.
2
Cook the Mutton Yakhni (Broth)
In a pressure cooker, combine the mutton pieces, 1 liter of water, the prepared spice potli, chopped ginger, crushed garlic cloves, quartered onion, bay leaf, black cardamom, green cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon stick, black peppercorns, and 1 tsp of salt.
Secure the lid and pressure cook on medium-high heat for 4-5 whistles, or for about 15-20 minutes, until the mutton is 80% tender.
Allow the pressure to release naturally. This ensures the mutton remains succulent.
3
Strain and Measure the Yakhni
Once the pressure has released, open the cooker. Carefully strain the contents through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl.
Separate the cooked mutton pieces and set them aside. Discard the spice potli and the whole spices.
Measure the strained broth (yakhni). You need exactly double the volume of your rice. For 1.5 cups of rice, you need 3 cups (750 ml) of yakhni. If you have less, top it up with hot water. This step is crucial for perfectly cooked rice.
4
Prepare the Pulao Base
Heat ghee in a heavy-bottomed pot or handi over medium heat.
Add the thinly sliced onions and fry for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are deep golden brown and crisp (birista).
Remove half of the fried onions with a slotted spoon and set them aside for garnishing.
To the remaining onions in the pot, add the ginger-garlic paste and slit green chilies. Sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
5
Assemble and Cook the Pulao
Add the reserved mutton pieces to the pot and sauté for 2-3 minutes to coat them in the masala.
Lower the heat and add the whisked dahi. Stir continuously for 2-3 minutes until the dahi is well incorporated and you see oil separating at the edges.
Drain the soaked rice completely and add it to the pot. Gently fold it in for 1 minute, being careful not to break the long grains.
Pour in the measured 3 cups of yakhni and the remaining 1 tsp of salt. Stir gently once to combine everything.
6
Dum Cooking and Serving
Bring the mixture to a rolling boil over high heat.
Once boiling, reduce the heat to the absolute lowest setting. Drizzle the saffron-infused milk and kewra water (if using) over the rice.
Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid. You can place a heavy object on top or seal the edges with foil to trap the steam ('dum').
Cook on low heat for 15-20 minutes, without opening the lid, until all the yakhni is absorbed and the rice is fluffy.
Turn off the heat and let the pulao rest, covered, for at least 10 minutes. This allows the grains to firm up.
Gently fluff the pulao with a fork. Garnish with the reserved fried onions and serve hot with your favorite raita.
