CROCK POT RABBIT KORMA with Jeff Benda

Jeff Benda

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www.WildGameandFish.com

The snow-covered countryside of North Dakota is a perfect setting to take my 6-year-old daughter out in her boots, hat, and mittens filled with hand warmers to chase bunnies. Her keen eyes get an unabashed look of excitement and awe when she yells out to me that she has spotted a set of fresh rabbit tracks cutting through the carpet of cotton-like ice crystals.

This happy scene of a father-daughter hunt in the woods, on a patch of public land less than an hour from our house in Fargo, warmed my soul. And when I shot and bagged a bunny with the 22 rimfire rifle my dad had gifted me so many years ago, the youngster that still lives within me got to share in the magic of that moment with my little girl.

Rabbits can be cooked in every conceivable way. So I took the opportunity to take what my daughter and I had harvested together, and create something that our family loves and considers a special treat – Indian food!

Chicken Korma is traditionally made with boneless chicken simmered in a mild coconut curry cashew sauce. It’s one of those dishes that is rich, creamy, full of flavor, and begs to be soaked up by a piece of fresh naan flatbread. If you want to experiment and try Korma with wild game, I would suggest an upland bird or maybe waterfowl. But if you want to stretch your imagination, and you have a crockpot, this recipe might just be the perfect alternative to ordering Indian food off of a take-out menu.

Rabbit Ingredients:

• 1 rabbit, skinned, washed, and cut into two hind quarters, two front quarters, and 2 loins (about 1 pound total)
• 1 Tablespoon each olive oil and butter
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon each turmeric, coriander, curry powder, chili powder, and salt
• 2 cups chicken broth

 Korma Sauce Ingredients:

• 1 Tablespoon each olive oil and butter
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup finely chopped sliced almonds
• 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
• 10 ounce can diced tomatoes with green chilies
• 3 ounces tomato paste
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 teaspoon each salt and sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon each cardamon, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, curry, turmeric

 Directions:

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add a Tablespoon each of olive oil and butter and brown the rabbit pieces on both sides. Transfer to a crockpot and add onion, garlic, chicken broth, and 1/2 teaspoon each turmeric, coriander, curry powder, chili powder, and salt. Stir to combine, cover with a lid, and set the heat to low.
• Cook the rabbit for 6-8 hours, until fork tender. Transfer meat to a plate, shred it apart, and discard the bones.
• Now it’s time to make the korma sauce. Heat 1 Tablespoon each olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the finely chopped almonds and garlic and cook for 1 minute.
• Add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, water, coconut milk, Greek yogurt, salt, sugar, cardamon, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, curry, turmeric. Stir well.
• Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Cut the shredded rabbit meat into bite-sized pieces and add to the pan. Stir to mix well. Simmer for another 15 minutes.
• Serve with cooked basmati rice and naan.