Vegan Shahi Chicken Korma with Jackfruit

This Vegan Shahi Chicken Korma with Jackfruit is a decadent and complex flavor delicious dish that your entire family will love. It is not too spicy and tastes so much better than the restaurant-style korma you get at most Indian restaurants!

Here’s an vegan spin on the restaurant favorite Shahi Chicken korma – Shahi Jackfruit Korma. ‘Shahi‘ literally means ‘Royal‘ and refers to Korma that was made in the royal kitchens of the Mughal Era in India.

My Vegan Shahi Chicken Korma with Jackfruit is a rich, fragrant plant-based curry made by simmering jackfruit in a rich cashew-based cream sauce. There are many korma variations and recipes based on region, restaurant and chef. Shahi kormas usually are more decadent with nuts like cashews compared to other kormas that may use lighter nuts such as almonds or coconut. Learn how to make this vegan korma at home, with this easy, step-by-step recipe.

This is a dish that your entire family will love. It is not too spicy! The secret is in the creamy white sauce, which is onion based with some added color from the spices. Onions are ideally fried and blended with the cashews. But we cook them to golden and then blend them. Tomato paste or purée is added just to cut the flavor and richness. It usually isn’t the dominant flavor.

We use jackfruit as a chicken sub. You can also use other vegan chickin subs like soycurls or seitan or vegan chicken . This vegan jackfruit korma is a rich and luxurious Indian dish that pairs amazingly well with Naan or Basmati rice or roti.

This korma is based on chef ranveer brars shahi korma and some other shahi sauces from books I’ve referenced before.

More Vegan Jackfruit Recipes:

Pulled Jackfruit Sandwiches

Chili Lime Roasted Veggies & Jackfruit with Jalapeno Cream Sauce

Berbere Spiced Jackfruit Tacos ; 1 Bowl

Jackfruit Chickpea Coconut Stir fry ; Fanasachi Bhaji

Easy Jackfruit Curry

Print Recipe

5 from 5 votes

Shahi Chicken Korma with Jackfruit

This Vegan Shahi Chicken Korma with Jackfruit is a decadent complex flavored dish that your entire family will love! Glutenfree , Soyfree, option for Nutfree

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time35 mins

Total Time50 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: jackfruit curry vegan, Vegan chicken korma

Servings: 4

Calories: 288kcal

Author: Vegan Richa

Ingredients

• 20 oz (566.99 g) can young green jackfruit drained, washed and squeezed with a kitchen towel. (See instructions for prep)
• 1 1/2 tablespoon corn starch or tapioca starch
• 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning or use generous pinches of sage, onion powder, garlic powder, thyme, celery salt, black pepper

For the sauce:

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 2 cups chopped red onion
• 2 tablespoons cashews
• 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds or use hemp seeds or melon seeds
• 2 bay leaves
• 1.5 Cups (354.88 ml) water
• 2 whole cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne or Indian red chili powder
• 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika or use Kashmiri chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 3 tablespoons plain non dairy yogurt
• 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste or use 1/2 inch of minced ginger and 3 cloves of garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste or use 1.5 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 teaspoon ginger julienned
• ½ teaspoon or more salt

To add later:

• 4 strands of saffron mixed in 1 tablespoon hot water, optional
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala

For garnish:

• Cilantro and lemon juice. and julienned ginger

Instructions

• Drain and wash the jackfruit really well. Then use a paper towel to wrap the jackfruit and then wrap it up in a kitchen towel and squeeze really well, to remove any excess brine. Squeeze by wringing the towel.
• Open tbe towel. If the jackfruit pieces are too large then break them apart into halves and add to a bowl.
• Mix the poultry seasoning and the corn starch and sprinkle all over the jack fruit. Toss to coat and set aside.
• Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 teaspoons oil, onion and a pinch of salt and cook until the onion is golden brown. This can take anywhere from 7 to 9 minutes.
• Deglaze the skillet with splashes of water if the onion starts to scorch on the edges but is not evenly golden brown. This depends on the pan and stove. The deglazing also helps conduct the heat evenly and that will help the onion brown evenly .
• Once the onion is golden brown all over, transfer to a blender, add the cashews, pumpkin seeds and 1 1/2 cups of water and blend until the cashews break down. I usually blend for a minute and let it sit for 5 minutes or so, then blend again, and repeat for another 2-3 cycles, so that the cashews and pumpkin seeds are very creamy. Set this mixture aside.
• Heat another teaspoon of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot add all of the whole spices; bay leaves, cloves, black pepper corn, and cinnamon stick.  Cook for 30 seconds or until the bay leaves start to change colour.
• Once the whole spices are golden brown, add the corn starch coated jackfruit to the skillet and cook until the jackfruit is golden on some of the edges. This can take anywhere from 5 to 7 minutes.
• In the meanwhile, mix all of the ground spices in the yogurt and keep ready. That’s the coriander, turmeric, cayenne, paprika, garam masala and nutmeg. Mix really well. You can also add 1/8 teaspoon of allspice for additional flavor.
• Add in the yogurt mixture to the skillet. Then add a splash of water and the ginger garlic paste and mix really well. Cook until the mixture thickens a little bit. It will take just about a minute because the pan is going to be hot.
• Add in the julienned ginger, tomato paste and the blended cashew paste and salt and mix really well. If the mixture is already really thick, add in some water then partially cover and cook until there is a little bit of oil on top of the sauce.
• Stir in between so that the thickening sauce does not scorch the bottom of the pan. Once thickened evenly, open the lid and add in saffron water and the remaining garam masala, and stir in. Taste and adjust the flavor, you can add more salt and more spiciness, Using some cayenne if needed. Take off the heat. Garnish with cilantro, julienned ginger and lemon juice.
• Serve this with rice or flatbread or add to a bowl with some roasted veggies and other Indian dishes or a side salad.

Notes

To make this nut free substitute the cashews with more pumpkin seeds or hemp seeds or melon seeds. You can also use 4 oz of silken tofu instead for the sauce. 

Jackfruit substitute :. If you don’t like jackfruit you can substitute the jackfruit with 4 oz soy curls or 8 oz seitan and make the korma. If using soy curls, soak them in water and drain. Then coat in the corn starch and continue with the recipe. You don’t need to soak the seitan, just coat it in the cornstarch and continue with the recipe.

You can also make this recipe with roasted vegetables or chickpeas. Add the 1.5 cups roasted vegetables or  chickpeas after the sauce has thickened and not before and then mix and simmer in the sauce for 3-4 minutes and serve.

No onion garlic: use zucchini instead of onion. Add 1/8 teaspoon asafetida or 1/2 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves instead of garlic 

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Shahi Chicken Korma with Jackfruit

Amount Per Serving

Calories 288 Calories from Fat 81

% Daily Value*

Fat 9g14%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Sodium 367mg16%

Potassium 439mg13%

Carbohydrates 51g17%

Fiber 5g21%

Sugar 5g6%

Protein 5g10%

Vitamin A 395IU8%

Vitamin C 9mg11%

Calcium 126mg13%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Ingredients:

•  jackfruit – drained washed and squeezed with a kitchen towel.
• the jackfruit is coated with a small amount of corn starch and poultry seasoning before cooking it
• the base of the vegan korma sauce is made by blending sauteed red onions with cashews and pumpkin seeds to form a creamy gravy
• whole spices: bay leaves, cloves,  black peppercorns, and cinnamon stick – these are tempered in oil
• to the tempering we add ground spices: coriander,  turmeric, cayenne, paprika, garam masala, nutmeg
• yogurt is added for some tang and for that creamy smooth texture
• tomato paste helps add some color and cuts through the richness
• I like to add store-bought ginger garlic paste for convenience’s sake but you can also mince 1/2 inch of ginger and 3 cloves of garlic
• right in the end, I add some saffron mixed in 1 tablespoon of hot water or non dairy milk for that vibrant golden color but this is really optional
• garam masala, cilantro and lemon juice are added right in the end to bring the whole dish together

Tips & Substitutions:

• To make this nut free substitute the cashews with more pumpkin seeds or hemp seeds or melon seeds.
• This curry is already gluten-free and soy free.
• If you don’t like jackfruit you can substitute the jackfruit with 5 oz soy curls or 8 oz seitan and make the korma. If using soy curls, soak them in water and drain. Then coat in the corn starch and continue with the recipe. You don’t need to soak the seitan, just coat it in the cornstarch and continue with the recipe.
• You can also make this recipe with roasted vegetables or chickpeas. Add the roasted vegetables and chickpeas after the sauce has thickened and not before and then mix and simmer in the sauce for 3-4 minutes and serve.

How to make Vegan Jackfruit Korma

Drain and wash the jack fruit really well.

Then use a paper towel to wrap up and then wrap it up in a kitchen towel and squeeze really well, to remove any excess brine. Squeeze by wringing in the towel.

If the jackfruit pieces are too large then break them apart into halves and add to a bowl.

Mix the poultry seasoning and the corn starch and sprinkle all over the jack fruit. Toss to coat and set aside.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 teaspoons oil, onion and a pinch of salt and cook until the onion is golden brown. This can take anywhere from 7 to 9 minutes.

Deglaze the skillet with splashes of water if the onion starts to scorch on the edges but is not evenly golden brown. This depends on the pan and stove. The deglazing also helps conduct the heat evenly and that will help the onion brown evenly .

Once the onion is golden brown all over, transfer to a blender, add the cashews, pumpkin seeds and 1 1/2 cups of water and blend until the cashews break down. I usually blend for a minute and let it sit for 5 minutes or so, then blend again for another 2-3 cycles, so that the cashews and pumpkin seeds are very creamy. Set this mixture aside.

Heat another teaspoon of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot add all of the whole spices; bay leaves, cloves, black pepper corn, and cinnamon stick.  Cook for 30 seconds or until the bay leaves start to change colour.

Once the whole spices are golden brown, add the corn starch coated jackfruit to the skillet and cook until the jackfruit is golden on some of the edges. This can take anywhere from 5 to 7 minutes.

In the meanwhile, mix all of the ground spices in the yogurt and keep ready. That’s the coriander, turmeric, cayenne, paprika, garam masala and nutmeg. Mix really well. You can also add 1/8 teaspoon of allspice for additional flavor.

Add in the yogurt mixture, a splash of water and the ginger garlic paste and mix really well. Cook until the mixture thickens a little bit. It will take just about a minute because the pan is going to be hot.

Add in the julienned ginger, tomato paste and the blended cashew paste and salt and mix really well. If the mixture is already really thick, add in some water then partially cover and cook until there is a little bit of oil on top of the sauce.

Stir once the sauce thickens so that it does not scorch the bottom of the pan. Then open the lid and add in saffron water and the remaining garam masala, and stir in. Taste and adjust the flavor, you can add more salt and more spiciness. Using some cayenne if needed. Take off the heat.

Serve this with rice or flatbread or add to a bowl with some roasted veggies and other Indian dishes  or a side salad.