The Big Book of Curry Recipes (11 page)

Ingredients:

500g (1 lb) boneless chicken meat, cubed

1 tbsp ground turmeric

250ml (1 cup) natural yoghurt (must be a thick kind)

3 onions, chopped

8 garlic cloves, chopped

3cm (1 in) length of ginger, peeled and grated

3 tbsp ghee

1 tbsp ground coriander seeds

1 tbsp hot chilli powder

10 cashew nuts, chopped

5 almonds, chopped

1 1/2 tsp
garam masala

1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice

8 tbsp coriander leaves, shredded

salt, to taste

Method:

Add the yoghurt to a bowl and beat until smooth then work in the turmeric and salt and add the chicken. Ensure that the chicken is completely coated in the yoghurt mix. Cover the bowl and set aside to marinate for 20 minutes.

Melt the ghee in a pan and add the onion, garlic and ginger. Stir-fry for 1 minute then add the ground coriander seeds and chilli powder. Fry for a few seconds then add the chicken pieces and their marinade. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes over low heat.

At this point, stir in 500ml water. Bring to a simmer, cover the pan and cook for about 35 minutes over low heat. Finally add the nuts and the garam masala. Stir to combine then take off the heat and transfer to a serving dish. Drizzle over the lemon juice and garnish with the coriander leaves then serve immediately.

Chicken Chaap

Chicken Chaap is a traditional Indian recipe (from Hyderabad) for a classic dish of chicken pieces coated in a blend of yoghurt, spices, onions, garlic and coconut that’s fried and served in coconut sauce with a garnish of pistachio nuts.

Ingredients:

500g (1 lb) chicken meat, chopped

4 onions, peeled, chopped, and pounded to a paste

6 garlic cloves, crushed

250ml (1 cup) thick natural yoghurt

1/4 tsp freshly-grated nutmeg

1/2 tbsp
garam masala

1 tbsp desiccated coconut, ground to a powder

pinch of saffron

2 tbsp cooking oil

50g (2 oz) pistachio nuts, chopped, to garnish

Method:

In a bowl, beat together the yoghurt, onions, garlic, nutmeg, garam masala, coconut and saffron until smooth and well blended. Add the chicken pieces and stir to combine and coat. Cover with clingfilm (plastic wrap) and set aside to marinate in the refrigerator for 90 minutes.

After this time, heat the oil in a kadhai or wok. Remove the chicken pieces from the marinade, add to the oil and fry until nicely browned all over. Add the marinade to the pan and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer and work in 250ml (1 cup) water. Bring back to a simmer, cover the pan and cook over low heat for 60 minutes, or until the gravy is thick and the chicken is completely tender.

Turn into a serving dish, garnish with the chopped pistachio nuts and bring to the table.

Chicken Saagwala

Chicken Saagwala is a traditional Indian recipe (from the Punjab) for a classic curry of chicken in a spinach curry base.

Ingredients:

1 oven-ready chicken, cut into serving-sized pieces

300g (2/3 lb) spinach, blanched and puréed until smooth

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 bayleaf

1 tbsp
ginger-garlic paste

75g onions, finely grated

60ml tomato purée

2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp
garam masala

1/2 tsp red chilli powder (a hot one)

1 tsp ground coriander seeds

250ml (1 cup) cooking oil

double cream or natural yoghurt, to garnish

Method:

Heat the oil in a wok or karahi then add the cumin seeds. When the seeds begin to splutter add the bayleaf, ginger-garlic pate and fry until lightly browned.

Add the onions and fry for about 5 minutes, or until soft. At this point add the chicken and stir-fry over high heat until the pieces are browned all over.

Reduce the heat and continue to simmer for about 40 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Stir in the tomato purée and continue to cook until the oil separates.

Now add the spinach purée and stir-fry for 3 minutes. Mix well to combine then turn into a warmed serving dish. Garnish with the cream or yoghurt and serve.

Methi Chicken

Methi Chicken is a traditional Indian recipe (from the Punjab) for a classic spicy chicken curry in a yoghurt base flavoured with fenugreek (methi) leaves.

Ingredients:

700g (1 1/4 lb) chicken pieces (thighs are good, skinned)

2 tbsp cooking oil

1 tsp
garam masala

2 bayleaves

500ml (2 cups) natural yoghurt

1 tsp ground turmeric

2 tbsp garlic, mashed to a paste

250g (9 oz) onions, chopped

2 tbsp fresh ginger, finely chopped

2 tbsp green chillies, finely chopped

1 tbsp
garam masala

2 tbsp dried fenugreek (methi) leaves

1 tbsp ground coriander seeds

1 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped

salt, to taste

Method:

Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the bayleaves and garam masala and fry for about 1 minute, or until aromatic. Add the onions and fry, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes, or until soft and golden brown.

Now stir in the garlic paste, ginger, ground coriander seeds, green chillies and ground turmeric. Mix well and stir-fry for 2 minutes more. Now add the chicken pieces and fry briefly to colour before adding the yoghurt. Bring to a simmer and cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and tender. Add water, as needed.

At this point stir in the 1 tbsp garam masala, dried fenugreek leaves and coriander leaves. Season to taste with salt then mix in 1l water. Bring to a simmer, cover with a lid and simmer for 15 minutes.

Turn into a serving dish and serve immediately.

Karahi Chicken

Karahi Chicken is a traditional Indian recipe (from the Punjab) for a classic spicy chicken curry in a spiced tomato, onion and oil base.

Ingredients:

500g (1 lb) chicken meat, cubed

4 large onions, chopped

4 large tomatoes, chopped

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp hot chilli powder

1 tsp freshly-ground black pepper

4 garlic cloves

3cm (1 in) piece of ginger, finely grated

500ml (2 cups) cooking oil

salt, to taste

Method:

Combine the ginger and garlic in a mortar and pound to form a paste.

Heat the oil in a wok or karahi; add the turmeric, chilli and the garlic-ginger paste. Season with salt to taste and fry for about 3 minutes, or until browned and aromatic. Add the chicken and turn to coat. Fry until the chicken is nicely browned all over then add the chopped onions and tomatoes.

Reduce to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the tomatoes break down to form a sauce. Continue cooking for about 5 minutes, or until the sauce thickens.

Serve hot with pilau rice.

Chicken White Curry

Chicken White Curry is a traditional Sri Lankan recipe for a classic curry of chicken pieces cooked in coconut milk flavoured with ginger, fennel, spices and pandan leaves.

Ingredients:

1 chicken, cut into serving pieces

2 sprigs fennel

2 slices fresh ginger, finely chopped

10 red chillies, ground in a mortar

1/2 tsp ground cumin seeds

1/4 tsp ground fenugreek seeds

3cm (1 in) piece of cinnamon stick

1/4 stalk of lemongrass

juice of 1/2 lime

1 dessertspoon onions, finely sliced

2 garlic cloves

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 dessertspoon coriander seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 dessertspoon ghee

5cm (2 in) piece of pandan leaf (rampe)

small sprig of curry leaves

300ml (1 1/4 cups) thick coconut milk

1l (4 cups) coconut milk

Method:

Add the chicken pieces to a large saucepan with the 1l coconut milk, fennel, garlic, ginger, turmeric, red chillies, fenugreek, cinnamon, half the curry leaves, half the onion, half the pandan leaf and half the lemongrass.

Bring to a simmer, cover the pan and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the chicken is half done. In the meantime, mix together the thick coconut milk, coriander and cumin until smooth. Mix in the lime juice and season with salt to taste. Pour this over the chicken, bring to a simmer, cover the pan and cook gently for about 25 minutes, or until the chicken is tender.

Heat the ghee in a pan, add in the remaining onions, curry leaves, pandan leaf and lemongrass. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until golden brown then turn into the pan with the chicken. Simmer gently for 5 minutes more then serve accompanied by pain or pilau rice and lime pickle.

Serve hot.

Sri Lankan Chicken Curry

Sri Lankan Chicken Curry is a traditional Sri Lankan recipe for a classic curry of chicken pieces cooked in coconut milk flavoured with chillies, ginger, spices, onions, celery and lime juice.

Ingredients:

1 large chicken, jointed into serving portions

2 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp curry powder

3 garlic cloves

5cm (2 in) length of cinnamon stick

1 celery stick (with leaf), sliced

8 cloves

3cm (1 in) piece of pandan leaf (rampe)

1 large sprig of curry leaves

1 green chilli, thinly sliced

2 slices of fresh ginger

450ml (1 4/5 cups) thin coconut milk

300ml (1 1/4 cups) thick coconut milk

1 dessertspoon pearl onions, sliced

1 dessertspoon cooking oil

1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds

juice of 2 limes

salt, to taste

Method:

Season the chicken pieces with the salt, curry powder and chilli powder. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and when hot crush 2 of the garlic cloves and add to the oil. Fry until golden brown (about 3 minutes) then add half the fenugreek seeds. Fry for 2 minutes before adding the onions, pandan leaf, green chilli, celery, cinnamon and curry leaves. Fry for about 6 minutes, or until the onions are nicely golden brown then add the chicken pieces.

Continue frying, stirring constantly, until the chicken pieces are nicely browned all over then add the coconut milk and the cloves, the ginger and the remaining fenugreek and garlic (which should be thinly sliced).

Stir well to combine, cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and simmer gently for about 40 minutes, or until the chicken is tender. At this point, stir in the thick coconut milk and the lime juice. Stir well to combine, bring back to a simmer and cook gently, uncovered, until the sauce thickens.

Serve hot, with rice.

Chatpati Murghi Tangen  (Fried Chicken Drumsticks)

Chatpati Murghi Tangen (Fried Chicken Drumsticks) is a traditional Indian recipe for a classic dish of parboiled chicken drumsticks that are placed in tandoori marinade, egged and breaded before being deep fried to cook.

Ingredients:

8 chicken drumsticks, washed and dried

200ml (4/5 cup)
Tandoori Marinade

2 tbsp lemon juice

sea salt, to taste

4 large eggs

3 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)

breadcrumbs to coat

oil for deep frying

Method:

Prick the drumsticks all over with a fork then place in a pan of salted water and cook for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.

In the meantime, beat together the tandoori marinade, lemon juice and salt together. Place the chicken drumsticks in this and smear to coat evenly. Cove and set aside for 60 minutes to marinade.

Beat together the eggs and cornflour until smooth and place in a shallow dish. Scatter the breadcrumbs on a plate. Remove the chicken from the marinade then coat in the egg and cornflour mix before covering evenly with the breadcrumbs.

Place the breaded and marinated chicken in a deep fryer pre-heated to 180ºC (360ºF) (or use a wok or deep pan). Fry until the drumsticks are golden brown all over, drain on kitchen paper and serve accompanied by Indian chutneys and garnishes.

Goan Chicken Curry

Goan Chicken Curry is a traditional Indian recipe for a classic curry of chicken portions cooked in a lightly-spiced coconut paste base.

Ingredients:

75g (3 oz) desiccated coconut

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

4 black peppercorns

1 tbsp fennel seeds

1 tbsp coriander seeds

2 onion, finely chopped

1/2 tsp sea salt

8 chicken thighs, skinned

fresh coriander (cilantro) sprigs, to garnish

lemon wedges, to garnish

Method:

Combine the desiccated coconut in a bowl with 3 tbsp water. Mix to combine and set aside to soak for 15 minutes.

After this time, heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok or large pan and use to fry the cumin seeds, peppercorns, fennel seeds and coriander seeds over low heat for about 4 minutes or until they begin to splutter.

Add the onions and fry for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion had softened and turned opaque. Stir in the coconut mixture and the salt and stir-fry the mixture for 5 minutes.

Turn the resultant coconut and spice mixture into a food processor and pulse to form a coarse paste.

Heat the remaining oil and fry the chicken until nicely browned on all sides (about 10 minutes). Spoon in the coconut paste and cook over low heat for about 18 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.

Turn onto a warmed serving dish, garnish with the coriander sprigs and lemon wedges and serve accompanied by fresh chutney and plain, boiled, rice.

Mughlai-style Tandoori Chicken

Tandoori Chicken is a traditional Indian recipe for a classic version of tandoori-style chicken cooked in the manner of an Indian restaurant.

Ingredients:

4 Whole Chicken Legs

450ml Mughlai
Tandoori Marinade

Method:

Remove the skin from the chicken and prepare the meat by making deep slits into it with a knife, right down to the bone (about six per leg). Wipe dry with kitchen paper then place the chicken in a bowl along with the marinade. Mix well and press the marinade into the slits that you just made.