Red Hot Chicken Curry

It’s been a while since my last post. I’ve been busy with festivities (Dashain and Tihar), family and work being priorities during this time.

I’m back and hoping to share more of my culinary experiences.

I made this lovely, spicy, hot and rich curry few weeks ago. It’s a one pot wonder with spuds, mushroom and chicken. It is one of those comfort food for me. The rich, hot and thick gravy makes me warm and gives me foodcoma as I can’t resist 2nd and 3rd helpings with steam rice.

Here’s a recipe for you to warm up your cold nights .

Ingredients

1.5 kilos of whole chicken cut into pieces (with bones, skin and all)
2 medium sized onion finely sliced
2 large tomatoes cut into cubes
1 tablespoon of tomato paste
4-5 small sized whole potatoes
4-5 brown mushroom cut into quarters
5 cloves of garlic
A knob of ginger (thumb sized piece)
5 red chillies
1 quill of cinnamon
3-4 black cloves
3-4 cloves
1 tablespoon of Chilli powder
1 tablespoon of cumin powder
1 tablespoon of coriander powder
1 tablespoon of garam masala
500 ml of chicken stock (or water)
Salt to taste
4-5 tablespoons of oil
Fresh coriander for garnish

Method:
Divide chicken pieces into 2-3 batches. Heat oil in the pan and add first batch of chicken pieces to seal and sear it. Fry it for 4-5 minutes turning it once. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Repeat the same process for other batches and set aside.

In the same pan, add sliced onion and fry it until golden brown.

Add whole spices and fry it for few minutes. Then add all other spices, salt, fresh chillies and garlic ginger paste. Mix it well and fry it for few minutes in a gentle heat.

Add tomato and tomato paste and cook it for 3-5 minutes until tomato disintegrates and become thick and mushy.

Add chicken pieces, potatoes and mushroom. Stir well to mix with spices and tomato. Cook for 4-5 minutes.

Add 500 ml of chicken stock or plain water and cover the pan with lid.

Cook it for 20-25 minutes on low heat until chicken is tender and gravy is thick.

Garnish with coriander and serve with steam rice or rotis. It’s a comfort food best enjoyed on cold days.

Pukka Yellow Curry- Jamie Oliver recipe

Let me start by saying this, I love Jamie Oliver. He’s one of the greatest chef who has revolutionized the way people think, cook and eat food.

I’ve been a fan since day 1 when I started watching his cooking show called ‘Naked chef’. His cooking style inspires me because he does with so much ease. It is rustic, unpretentious and simple. I just love it.

So for last night’s dinner, I thought I will try one of Jamie Oliver’s recipe called Yellow Pukka Curry.

It looked easy, hearty and I had most ingredients in my fridge. I was little bit skeptical about adding chick peas. But to my surprise the curry turned out great. It was full of flavours and punch yet so simple to cook.

I did tweaked the recipe slightly as I was missing few ingredients but nonetheless it turned out so yummy.

So here’s my version of Jamie’s Pukka yellow curry.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

9 chicken drumsticks
3 tablespoons of oil
400 grams of canned chickpeas
Handful chopped coriander to garnish
2 tablespoon tomato passata (original recipe says 1 tablespoon tomato paste)
500 ml of water
1/2 chopped onion
Salt

Paste
1 and half medium sized red onion
Roots and stalk of a bunch of coriander
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon honey
2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 cup of water
3 fresh red chillies
4 cloves of garlic
A knob of ginger (thumb sized piece)

(Original recipe says 1 yellow pepper but didn’t have that so I used red chillies)

In a blender add all the ingredients of the paste and grind it to make a paste.

In a pan with heavy base, heat oil. Add chicken drumsticks and fry and sear drumsticks for 10-15 minutes.

When it’s golden brown, remove from heat and set aside.

In the same pan, add onion and sauté it for 1-2 minutes. Add the paste mix and cook it until liquid evaporates and mix leaves the edge of the pan. Add passata, chick peas and salt and stir.

Add remaining liquid and cook it for 2-3 minutes. Add chicken and cover the pan with a lid. Cook chicken for 45 minutes on a low heat.

Stir occasionally. After 45 minutes, add chopped coriander. Serve the curry with steamed rice.