Indian Chicken Curry

The first thing that comes to one's mind when we talk of Indian food is curry. Therefore, as my first post, I decided upon classic Indian chicken curry. And let me stop you before you start associating curry powder with Indian curries. Chicken curry is a flavorful dish of chicken cooked in a tomato-based gravy,  the spiciness of which can be adjusted from mild to flaring hot. The authentic version of the curry calls for a fresh mix of (few) spices which can be found in most Indian grocery stores. If you need help with selecting spices, you can contact me. 


The serving size is scaled to my big appetite. You might have leftovers ! I am not a professional cookbook writer or even a seasoned blogger so my cooking directions may sound very informal peppered with tips and more information than you would want, at times. 


* Please do not use any of the images featured in my posts without my permission.


Ingredients (Serves 4)


1. Skinless chicken thigh ~1.5 lb, sliced into bite-size pieces
(chicken thigh is more flavorful than chicken breast and goes well with the curry)
2. Onion - 1 big, chopped into big chunks
3. Tomato - 2 big, cut into 1/8th cubes 
4. Green pepper(optional) - 1 big, cut into big chunks
5. Thai pepper - 2 or 3 depending on hotness level, split
6. Ginger - 2 tbspn, coarsely chopped
7. Garlic - 3 cloves, coarsely chopped
8. Cayenne pepper - 2 
9. Chilli powder - 1 tbsp, adjust according to hotness level
10. Turmeric powder - 1 tbsp
11. Coriander powder - 3 tbsp
12. Garam masala - 1/4 tbsp
13. Olive or vegetable oil - 3 tbsp
14. Salt - to taste
15. Cilantro - for garnishing


The following is a slightly modified version of the recipe I have come up with. You can always experiment and adjust.


Preparation
Add 1/2 tbsp turmeric powder, 1/4 tbsp salt to the chicken pieces. Mix well and keep aside. 

Stir fry

Heat a heavy-bottomed skillet (e.g. iron skillet), add 1 tbsp of oil and stir fry the onion and green pepper cubes on high heat for 2-3 minutes till the onion and pepper are slightly charred (It will start giving off a smell like caramelized onion which you can use for other recipes too). Keep aside.

Add 2 tbsp oil to a skillet over high heat. Add ginger, garlic, cayenne pepper and cook for ~30-40 sec or until the pungent smell goes away. Add the chicken (mixed with salt and turmeric) and cook till chicken pieces are slightly browned. Keep stirring the contents of the skillet to avoid over cooking or charring the chicken. This also ensures that the chicken remains moist. 

Add the split thai peppers and give the mixture a good stir. (Thai peppers add a flavorful kind of hotness to the recipe unlike chilli powder).



Add the tomato cubes, 1/2 tbsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tbsp chilli powder, 3 tbsp coriander powder, 1/4 tbsp garam masala and salt to taste. Add water to partially submerge the chicken and tomato cubes. Cover the skillet and cook over medium heat for 9-10 minutes. 

Adjust the water in the mixture depending on how much curry gravy you want in your dish. Taste for salt and other spices and adjust according to your level of spiciness and hotness. 
Yes, hot spicy and flavorful spicy are two completely different things. Indian food is meant to be flavorful spicy with a good balance of hot spiciness. It is a misconception that Indian food is all about flaming hot food that sets your palate on fire. 


Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve hot. By hot I mean, your hands should be on fire if you touch the bowl and not your palate ! ha ha 


- Prashun Gorai (prashun.iitm4@gmail.com)