Thursday, July 30, 2015

Spice Trail Chicken Curry








I love just reaching out into the pantry, yanking random ingredients and then combining them subtly into a delicious meal. This is one such recipe. An ode to the myriad spices that line my kitchen shelves, waiting to be paired into just the right blend.
The ingredient list may read long, but rest assured this chicken curry mildly teases your tastebuds without overpowering your senses. Just the perfect dish for a laidback weekend.

Ingredients
Chicken 1 kg
Dried Fenugreek Leaves (Kasuri methi) 2 tbsp
Curds 1 cup
Turmeric Powder 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder 1 tsp
Red Chilli Powder 1 tsp
Green Chillies 6-7, slit lengthwise

Masala : 2-3 large onions
              2 inch ginger
              8 cloves garlic
              2 inch cinnamon stick
              4 green cardamoms
              2 black cardamom
              1 tsp peppercorn
              6 cloves
              2 bay leaves
              a pinch of mace
              1/4 tsp nutmeg powder

Method

Grind all the ingredients in the masala list and keep aside. Heat oil in a pot and add the readied masala paste. Once it browns, add the chicken pieces. Cook till the pieces are well coated with the masala and start changing colour. Add the slit green chillies and cook for 2 minutes. Now start adding the curds one tablespoon at a time. After each addition stir well and let it adhere well onto the pieces. Finally when only 1/4 cup of curds are left, beat the turmeric, coriander and red chilli powder into the curds. Pour onto the chicken and mix well. Stir in the crushed dry fenugreek leaves. Add salt to taste and enough water for a gravy of your desired consistency. We like the curry to be a little broth like and so I added about 350 ml of water. Lower the flame. Cover the pot and cook till done, Dish up with some paranthas or steamed rice or even a ciabatta bread.