Chicken Korma with Indian Bay Leaves

1. 1Marinate chicken in a mixture of yogurt, 1/2 cup chopped onion, 1 tablespoon chopped garlic, ginger, and sweet paprika for at least 2 and up to 24 hours, in the refrigerator.
2. 2Sauté 1/2 cup chopped onion and 1 teaspoon chopped garlic in butter until soft. Add coriander, cumin, cardamom, turmeric, and hot chile pepper and poppy seeds (white preferred).
3. 3Add chicken and its marinade along with bay leaves and salt to taste, then cover and simmer about 45 minutes or until chicken is tender, adding a little water if needed to keep moist. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve with steamed basmati rice.

Beverage pairing: Lustau Dry Amontillado Los Arcos, Spain. It’s not well known that amontillado is a tremendous counterpart to well-spiced Indian food. Something about the nuttiness and hit of dusty spice in the sherry marries wonderfully with the array of aromas and flavors in the dishes. This is a benchmark sherry and should be served slightly chilled.