Curry
An Indian curry is a comforting, 'soul-warming' classic defined by its rich, auburn-coloured gravy built from a slow-cooked base of caramelised onions, ginger, and garlic. The protein is simmered in a 'vibrant' blend of turmeric, ground coriander, and cumin until it becomes tender and fully infused with the savoury, aromatic sauce. This versatile staple offers a balanced, 'medium-heat' flavour profile that is perfectly finished with a handful of fresh coriander and served alongside fluffy rice or warm naan.
Cuisines
Cooking Instructions
Cooking: 45 minutes
Notes:
Kashmiri chilli powder delivers a vibrant red colour with gentle, mild heat.
Potatoes are optional but absorb the rich curry gravy beautifully while cooking.
Pinch of sugar helps balance the acidity of the tomatoes and yoghurt.
Blend Aromatic Paste
In a blender, combine the ginger, garlic, 1 quarter of the onion, chopped tomato, green chillies, and 2 tablespoons of water, processing until a smooth paste forms.
Sauté Whole Spices and Onions
Heat the mustard oil in a heavy pot over medium heat until hot. Reduce the heat to low, add the bay leaf, cracked green cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, and cloves, letting them sizzle for 10 seconds. Add the remaining sliced onions and a pinch of salt, frying over medium-high heat for 6 to 8 minutes until golden brown.
Add Powdered Spices and Paste
Reduce the heat to low and pour in a splash of water to stop the onions from browning further. Add the turmeric and Kashmiri chilli powder, stirring for 3 seconds. Stir in the blended ginger-garlic-tomato paste and fry over medium-high heat for 2 minutes.
Sear Chicken
Drain the washed chicken thoroughly in a strainer. Add the chicken to the pot and stir-fry over high heat for 8 to 10 minutes, allowing all released moisture to evaporate completely until the pan is dry.
Incorporate Seasonings and Yoghurt
Season with salt, ground coriander, and garam masala. Lower the heat to low and pour in the whisked plain yoghurt, stirring continuously until bubbles form and the yoghurt is fully integrated. Increase heat to medium-low and cook for 5 minutes until the oil separates and floats on top.
Simmer Curry and Serve
Toss in the halved potatoes, 250ml of hot water, and the sugar. Cover tightly with a lid and simmer over very low heat for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken and potatoes are fork-tender. Uncover, discard any visible whole spice pods, stir in a pinch of ground mace and nutmeg, and serve hot with rice or naan.
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Ingredients
| Ginger | 25g |
| Garlic | 6 cloves |
| Onion | ¼ |
| Tomatoes | 1 |
| Green Chillies | 2 |
| Water | 2 tbsp |
| Bone-in Chicken Thighs and Drumsticks | 800g |
| Potatoes | 2 |
| Onion | ¾ |
| Mustard Oil | 4 tbsp |
| Plain Yoghurt | 4 tbsp |
| Hot Water | 250ml |
| Sugar | ½ tsp |
| Bay Leaf | 1 |
| Green Cardamom Pods | 4 |
| Cinnamon Stick | 1 |
| Cloves | 4 |
| Turmeric | 1 tsp |
| Kashmiri Chilli Powder | 2 tsp |
| Ground Coriander | 1 tsp |
| Garam Masala | 1 tsp |
| Salt | 1½ tsp |
| Ground Mace | 1 pinch |
| Ground Nutmeg | 1 pinch |
