Popularly imbibed in India through the Mughals, the history of the traditional Mutton Korma can be traced back to the 16th century Mughal kingdom. Kormas were often prepared in the Mughal court kitchens, said to have been served to Shah Jahan and his guests at the inauguration of the Taj Mahal.

But the legacy of Korma goes way back to Central Asia where it originated. The Central Asians were nomadic warriors. For them, cooking was on the go. Many a time they would be riding with marinated meat in their saddle-bags, which would need less time to cook when they set camp at night.

What we eat today is an amalgamation of these basic dishes influenced by indigenous and Persian cuisines. In India, most dishes use generous amounts of oil and spices, especially chilli, which are not native to Central Asian food.

History tells us of a Central Asian dish called ashqorma/qorma/ kuverma, and it is this dish that was adapted by the Rajput cooks in Akbar's kitchen and named Korma after the Rajput warrior tribe 'Kurma'.

However, what we eat today was perfected in the kitchens of the Awadh Nawabs with a lot of Persian influence to adapt to Indian tastes.

Korma literally means braising the meat, and in korma the meat is braised in oil (traditionally it was desi ghee), yogurt and spices, then simmered in water till tender. For festive occasions, blanched and finely ground cashews were also used as thickening agents. 

Classically, a korma is defined as a dish where meat or vegetables are braised with yogurt, cream or stock added. The technique covers many different styles of korma. The term Shahi (English: Royal), used for some kormas indicates its status as a prestige dish, rather than an everyday meal, and its association with the court.