Qorma
Also: korma (Afghan), qorma-e, Afghan stew
An Afghan/Persian-influenced slow-braised stew built on a deeply browned onion base, with lamb or vegetables, tomato, and often yellow split peas, served over rice.
Identity criteria
- 1Built on a foundational base of onions cooked down deeply (the qorma base)
- 2Slow-braised lamb or vegetables in that aromatic sauce
- 3Tomato and warm spices (turmeric, coriander, black pepper)
- 4Often thickened or enriched with yellow split peas
- 5Served as the sauce/stew element ladled over rice
Components
Lamb (or vegetables for vegetarian qorma)essential
Yellow split peasoptional
Onions (browned base)essential
Garlic and gingeroptional
Tomato and water/brothessential
Turmeric, coriander, black pepperessential
Technique
- Deeply browning the onions
- The slow-cooked onion base is the soul of qorma, giving body, color, and savory depth to the sauce
- Slow braising
- Low, long cooking tenderizes the lamb and lets spices and onion meld into a cohesive stew
Form & serving
- Served
- Ladled over or alongside chalow (plain rice)
- Temperature
- hot
- Portion
- main meal
- Pairs with
- chalow rice · naan · yogurt · salad
Character
Flavour
Texture
tender meat in a thick, oniony braised sauce
Eaten
An everyday Afghan home stew served over rice, central to family meals and hospitality.
When
year-round · winter
Variations & related
Regional variations
- Qorma-e-sabzi · Afghanistan / Iran
Herb-and-greens version (cousin of Persian ghormeh sabzi)
- Lawand / vegetable qorma · Afghanistan
Vegetable-based or okra/spinach versions
Related dishes
- sibling Ghormeh sabzi
Persian herb stew sharing the qorma root
- sibling Korma (South Asian)
Related braising tradition with a different, creamier character
- pairs-with Chalow
Afghan steamed plain rice served beneath it
Substitutions
Lamb → Beef or chickenadmissible
Common protein swaps with similar braising
Lamb → Vegetables / legumesadmissible
Makes a legitimate vegetarian qorma
Browned onion base → Skipping the onion fryinadmissible
Without the deeply cooked onion base it is not qorma — it loses its defining depth
Common mistakes
- Not browning the onions enough, leaving a thin, pale sauce
- Rushing the braise so the meat stays tough
- Confusing it with a cream-based South Asian korma
- Over-watering so the stew is soupy rather than thick
Provenance
A stew tradition shared across Afghanistan, Iran, and Central Asia; the word derives from braising, distinct from (though related to) South Asian korma.
Shared by: Afghanistan, Iran, Central Asia
References
- 1.Afghan and Persian culinary tradition
Confidence: high