Pork Korma with Potatoes and Spinach
Thickened with ground almonds and yogurt, this ground meat dish is rich and creamy yet not as indulgent as traditional Indian korma curries that are full of cream and ghee (clarified butter). Serve with warm chapattis or nan to mop up the delicious, aromatic sauce.
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 large onions, sliced
500 grams (1 lb) lean ground pork
2 garlic cloves, crushed
8 green cardamom pods, crushed and pods discarded
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
2 1⁄2 cups diluted salt-reduced or homemade chicken stock, hot
800 grams (1 3⁄4 lb) small new potatoes, scrubbed and halved
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 cup low-fat plain yogourt
3⁄4 cup ground almonds
250 grams (1⁄2 lb) babyspinach leaves
1⁄4 cup flaked almonds,lightly toasted
1. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan or flameproof casserole dish. Add the onions and cook over a medium heat for 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
2. Add the pork, garlic, cardamom and cumin seeds. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes until the meat has broken up and changed colour. Return about half the onions to the pan, pour in the stock and bring back to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover the pan and simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Stir in the potatoes and bring back to simmering point, then cover and cook for about 20 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
4. Meanwhile, blend the cornstarch with about 1⁄2 cup (130 g) of the yogourt and the ground almonds to make a paste. Stir this mixture into the curry and bring just to a boil, stirring. Reduce the heat and simmer for 1 minute until slightly thickened. Season to taste.
5. Fold the spinach leaves through the korma, reserving a few small leaves for garnishing, until they are just wilted and bright green. Mix the toasted flaked almonds with the remaining onions. Serve the curry drizzled with the remaining yogourt and topped with the almonds, onions and reserved spinach.
Cook’s tip: This dish is even better if made ahead of time, then reheated. Make up to the end of step 4, then cool and chill. Reheat gently, then complete the dish with the spinach.
Serves 4
Preparation time 10 minutes
Cooking time 55 minutes
Each serving
677 calories, 34.5 g fat (6.5 g saturated), 50 g protein, 36.5 g carbohydrate, 10 g fibre
