Incredible Indian Chickpea "Korma" Stew
Incredible Indian Chickpea "Korma" Stew
In the grand tapestry of Indian cuisine, where flavors and aromas mingle like colors on an artist’s palette, korma stands out. Hearty and nourishing, yet subtly spiced, this classic Indian dish is among the mildest of South Asian curries.
The allure of korma is in its creamy sauce, which traditionally involves yogurt, cream, coconut milk, ground cashew nuts, or a blend of these ingredients. Our simplified version relies only on yogurt to deliver the signature creaminess, plus a handful of warming spices—garlic, ginger, and curry—for gentle flavors. Together, they transform a simple stew into a dish that is delicate, luxurious, and utterly divine!
The korma pairs beautifully with the slightly sweet Summertime Corn-Peach "Chaat" Salad and Juicy Peach "Lassi."
Happy & Healthy Cooking,
Fun-Da-Mentals Kitchen Skills
- chop :
to cut something into small, rough pieces using a blade.
- measure :
to calculate the specific amount of an ingredient required using a measuring tool (like measuring cups or spoons).
- simmer :
to cook a food gently, usually in a liquid, until softened.
Equipment Checklist
- Large pot + lid
- Cutting board + kid-safe knife
- Liquid measuring cup
- Wooden spoon
- Can opener
- Measuring spoons
- Ladle
Ingredients
Incredible Indian Chickpea "Korma" Stew
- 2/3 can chickpeas **(for LEGUME ALLERGY sub 1 medium diced zucchini or 1 C diced mushrooms—button mushrooms work great)**
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil **
- 1 medium onion
- 6 garlic cloves
- 1-inch piece ginger or 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 2 small tomatoes **(for NIGHTSHADE/TOMATO ALLERGY sub 1 C diced small radishes)**
- 3/4 C plain whole-milk yogurt **(for DAIRY ALLERGY sub dairy-free/nut-free plain yogurt)**
- 1 T curry powder
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 C water
- 1 small pkg pita bread, optional **(Omit for GLUTEN ALLERGY or sub gluten-free/nut-free pita bread)**
Food Allergen Substitutions
Incredible Indian Chickpea "Korma" Stew
- Legume: For 2/3 of a 15-oz can of chickpeas, substitute 1 medium diced zucchini or 1 C diced mushrooms (button mushrooms work great).
- Soy: Substitute canola oil or other nut-free high-smoking point oil for vegetable oil, which usually contains soy.
- Nightshade/Tomato: For 2 small tomatoes, substitute 1 C diced small radishes.
- Dairy: Substitute dairy-free/nut-free plain yogurt.
- Gluten/Wheat: Omit optional pita bread or substitute gluten-free/nut-free pita bread.
Instructions
Incredible Indian Chickpea "Korma" Stew
intro
Namaste (NAH-ma-stay)! (A greeting from India.) Today, we will be making Incredible Indian Chickpea "Korma" Stew. "Korma" refers to braising meats or vegetables in a mixture of yogurt and spices. This Sticky Fingers Cooking version will feature chickpeas as the surprise ingredient and keep all the other ingredients close to the traditional recipe. Get ready for mouthwatering aromas to fill your kitchen (maybe even your entire home)! Enjoy!
dice + sauté + count
Get started by dicing 1 medium yellow onion, 2 small tomatoes, 6 garlic cloves, and 1 inch long piece of ginger. Place the chopped onions into a large pot with 1/3 cup vegetable oil over medium low heat. Sauté the onions for about 4 to 5 minutes or until translucent and have your kids count to 5 in Hindi with you: 1 एक (ek), 2 दो (do), 3 तीन (teen), 4 चार (chaar), 5 पांच (paanch).
add + cook
Then, add the diced tomatoes, ginger, and garlic. Continue cooking for another 5 minutes while you measure the spices and chickpeas.
drain + pour + measure
Carefully open your can of chickpeas and drain all the liquid. Pour 2/3 of the drained chickpeas into the pot (reserve the rest for the "Chaat" Salad if making) along with 1 tablespoon curry powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and, if you are using garlic powder and ground ginger instead of whole, 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder and 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger.
scrumptious science fact
Fragrance and food go hand-in-hand. Your nose is a well-oiled machine that does most of the work in processing your olfactory sense (sense of smell). The olfactory sense refers to all the parts of your body that process smells. Your brain and nose do a lot of the work. When you smell something, your nose will communicate with the olfactory bulb, which is the part of your brain that processes smells. This process happens in a split second, making you feel an emotion or transporting you into a memory. This unique bodily function is why foods and their smells can make people feel happy, sad, or any range of emotions. My favorite is smelling cinnamon and being transported to baking pies with my aunts.
mix + smell + stir
Mix all the spices together with the chopped vegetables and be sure to take a second to stop and appreciate the amazing smells that are filling your kitchen. Stir the spices and vegetables on medium low heat for 5 minutes.
simmer + cover
Add 1/2 cup of water and pour that into the pot. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cover for 10 minutes. If the water in the pot evaporates too quickly, you may need to add an extra splash of water. This will ensure that this curry has a thick but liquid consistency.
measure + stir
After the curry mixture has simmered for 10 minutes (or more), uncover and add 3/4 cup of plain yogurt into the pot. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and stir until all the yogurt disappears into the curry mixture. At this point the stew should be creamy and ready to serve. Just give it a quick taste to check for flavor.
serve + devour
Serve this irresistible Indian stew alongside sliced pita or over rice! Either way, you are sure to love this belly-warming Incredible Indian Chickpea "Korma" Stew!
Hi! I’m Chickpea!
"Hmmm, I think I would like you to call me a Chickpea, not a garbanzo bean. Aren't little chicks so cute! You're probably familiar with me if you've ever eaten hummus. It's made with chickpeas! I'm a cute little seed that, when you combine a bunch of us, we can provide an excellent source of protein in your diet!"
History & Etymology
- Chickpeas are a high-protein legume and the main ingredient in many Middle Eastern and Mediterranean dishes. They may also be called garbanzo beans.
- Evidence of domesticated chickpeas from about 9,500 years ago has been found in Turkey and the Levant (an area bordering the Mediterranean in Western Asia).
- The word "chickpeas" comes from the early 18th century, and earlier was "chiche-pease," which came from late Middle English "chiche," from the Middle French "pois chiche," from the Latin "cicer."
- The word "garbanzo" is Spanish for "chickpea," and the word "hummus" is Arabic for "chickpea."
Anatomy
- A chickpea is a round, yellow-tan seed that grows in pods on a legume plant that can grow from 8 to 20 inches high. One pod holds two to three seeds.
- Chickpeas are grown around the world, and there are dozens of varieties, including a black one from southern Italy called "ceci neri."
How to Pick, Buy, & Eat
- Chickpeas taste like a bean, but they also have a nutty flavor, and their texture, when cooked, is described as soft and creamy or buttery. For Middle Eastern dishes, dried chickpeas are often boiled and mashed to make hummus, or they are soaked and then ground into flour to make falafels.
- You can add cooked or canned chickpeas to salads, roasted veggies, soups, stews, pasta, or rice dishes.
- You can also roast chickpeas and eat them as a snack. In the Middle East, roasted chickpeas are called "leblebi."
Nutrition
- Chickpeas provide almost 9 grams of protein in a 3.5-ounce serving. They are available either dried or canned. Because they are high in protein, chickpeas are often added to animal and bird feed.
- Chickpeas have loads of dietary fiber! So what is fiber good for? Smooth digestion! It helps the body absorb the vitamins and nutrients it needs to be strong and healthy.
- Chickpeas are also good sources of folate (vitamin B9), manganese, phosphorus, and iron.
What is "Korma"?
- "Korma" is a type of curry where meat or vegetables are braised in yogurt, stock, or coconut milk, with added spices like chili and ginger. Its name comes from a Hindi-Urdu word that means "braise." There are several variations of korma. Some sauces are mild, and others are very spicy. Nuts, coconut, fruit, and rice are sometimes added.
- Korma is from India and the Indian subcontinent, including Bangladesh and Pakistan. It has roots in the cuisine of the 16th-century Mughal Empire, an Indo-Persian empire that expanded into South Asia.
Let's Learn About India!
- India is a country in South Asia and is officially called the Republic of India. It is the second-most populous country in the world and has the largest population of any democratic nation.
- Hindi and English are official languages, and there are 447 native languages spoken in India.
- India's government includes a president, prime minister, and parliament. Twenty-eight states and eight union territories make up India's federal union.
- India's currency is the Indian "rupee." It is illegal for foreigners to take rupees out of India.
- Emperor Shah Jahan commissioned the Taj Mahal's construction in 1632 for his wife, Mumtaz Mahal.
- The anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi's birthday is celebrated on October 2. He is considered India's "Father of the Nation" and led the Indian people to independence from 89 years of British rule in 1947. Gandhi's peaceful protest movement inspired many people in other countries.
- India's national symbols are the lotus flower, the Bengal tiger, and the peacock.
- Some of the world's highest mountains are in India, including Kanchenjunga, the third tallest at 28,169 feet.
- The Bay of Bengal is a huge bay bordering the southeastern part of India and is home to the world's largest mangrove forest. Here, tigers swim in the same waters as dolphins, sea turtles, sharks, and saltwater crocodiles.
- The snow leopard, the Indian rhinoceros, the Bengal tiger, and the Asian elephant are all animals of India. Globally, it is the only country that has both lions and tigers.
- The most popular sport in India is cricket!
- It is hot in India, so people there often wear loose clothes. Traditional clothing differs by area in India. Women may wear saris, long pieces of colorful cotton or silk draped over and around the body like a dress. Men may wear a dhoti, made of material wrapped around the hips and pulled through the legs, somewhat resembling loose pants, although they aren't seen in cities much anymore. Photos of Gandhi show him wearing dhotis.
- Seventy percent of the world's spices come from India.
- Staple foods in India include lentils, rice, bread, and spices. People living on the coast eat more fish and seafood. In other regions, they eat chicken, beef, and game meats. Many people throughout India are vegetarians. Common fruits and vegetables are mangoes, apples, oranges, pineapples, bananas, onions, okra, potatoes, spinach, and carrots.
- Curries are popular dishes in India and are made with a variety of vegetables, fish, meat, and fruits, and spices.
- When people greet each other in India, as a sign of respect, they bow, placing their hands together before their chest or face, and say "Namaste," which translates to "I bow to the divine in you."
What's It Like to Be a Kid in India?
- Indian parents are encouraged to start their kids in preschool at 2½ to 3 years old. School is usually taught in a particular state's language, which could be Hindi, English, or another language.
- Kids often have their grandparents living with them in the family household.
- Along with cricket, tennis, badminton, and chess, kids may play traditional Indian games like kabaddi or kho-kho, both played by teams, or kancha, a marble game played individually or with others.
- Kids enjoy the Holi festival, which is a religious celebration that also heralds the arrival of spring. Celebrated in various ways throughout the country, most versions include the joyous spraying and throwing of colorful powders by festival participants at one another.
Lettuce Joke Around
What did the turmeric say to the cumin?
"Curry up...we're late!"
THYME for a Laugh
"Knock, knock!"
"Who’s there?"
"Curry."
"Curry who?"
"Curry me in the front door....I’m exhausted!"
THYME for a Laugh
What is a mother hen’s favorite plant in the garden?
The Chickpea!
Lettuce Joke Around
What do you get when you mix curry and porridge?
Courage!
THYME for a Laugh
Why did the rooster blush?
Because it saw a chickpea!
Lettuce Joke Around
How do you encourage a condiment to win a race?
Yell "Curry, ketchup!" ("Hurry, catch up!")
