RECIPE: Chicken Curry

INGREDIENTS

NOTE: This will result in a curry of similar strength to a vindaloo. Omit the Birds Eye Chillies and use less or weaker chilli powder to suit. Maybe fewer Jalepenos too.

Stage 1

4 tblsp Vegetable Oil
3 Cloves Of Garlic (finely chopped)
12 Small Dried Birds Eye Chillies (optional)

Chicken Breast (diced)
1 Large Onion (chopped)

3 tblsp Mustard Seed
3 tsp Piri Piri Spices
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Pepper

1. Heat up the Vegetable Oil in a pan on a medium heat.
2. Add the Ginger and Birds Eye Chillies, followed by the Diced Chicken, and Chopped Onion.
3. Throw in the spices.
4. Fry for a few minutes till the onions have softened and chicken cooked through.


Stage 2

1 tblsp Tomato Puree
1 tsp Cinnamon

1/2 tsp Asefotida (optional - tricky to get hold of)
1 tsp Cumin
2 tsp Paprika
2 tsp Turmeric
1 tsp Chilli Powder (hoT)
1 tsp heaped tsp Garam Masala
1 tsp Ginger
1 tsp heaped Coriander

Tin Of Chopped Tomatoes (+ half filled with water)
1 tblsp Tomato Sauce
4 Bay Leaves
20 Thick Slices Of Pickled Japepeno Peppers
1. Stir in the tomatoe puree and cinnamon and fry for a few minutes.
2. Add the spices and fry for about another minute.
3. Add the Tinned Tomato and then half a tin full of water.
4. Stir in the Tomato Sauce and add the bay leaves.
5. Turn the heat down to simmer.

Stage 3

1 Cup Of Basmati Rice
2 Green Cardamom Pods
1 tsp Turmeric
1 tsp Cumin

1. Boil the rice in about 750ml of water with the spices and Cardamom Pods for about 12 minutes in a pan with a lid, occasionally stirring, until there's just a bit of water left.
2. Remove from the heat leaving the lid on to finish cooking in its own heat.


Stage 4

1 tsp Fennel Seeds
1 tsp heaped Fenugreek Leaves
1 tsp heaped Cumin
1 tsp heaped Corriander Powder

Good Helping Of Chopped Coriander

1. Throw the spices in.
2. Continue to simmer for a total of about 30 minutes (or until the curry has reached the desired consistancy) stirring occasionally.
3. About 5 minutes from the end, throw the coriander in.


Notes

I like to add some red food colouring to the curry and yellow to the rice just to enhance to aesthetics slightly. Letting the curry marinate overnight gives the chicken a pleasing tikka-style redness as it soaks in the curry.

All measurements are guessed approximatations. I rarely make the same curry twice and alter the ingredients and measurements every time.

Substitute the tin of tomatos for about 5 good sized soft tomatos and water if you like. Fresh tomatos tend not to break down as well into a sauce.

That is all.