I've been making this wonderful dish for my family for over 35 years. This past Thanksgiving, we pardoned the Turkey until Christmas and enjoyed an Indian feast including this dish. Gwen, my nine year-old granddaughter just loves this dish and brings it for lunch in her thermos!
My recipe uses Indian spices such as Cumin seed, Tumeric, Coriander, Curry powder, Garam Masala, and Cinnamon. I add Cayenne depending upon the heat level I want. The key to success is the masala and a really good full fat plain yogurt. Served with Basmati rice and side dishes such as Sag Paneer and you've got an Indian Feast. The aromas are absolutely divine.
You will need a large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven
Ingredients:
3 Tablespoons of Sunflower Oil
1/2 Teaspoon of Cumin Seeds
1 Medium Onion, diced
1-2 fresh Garlic cloves, smashed
1 Inch of Ginger, finely chopped
1 Cinnamon Stick, about 2-3 inches
1 Teaspoon Sea Salt
1/2 Teaspoon freshly ground Pepper
2 Tablespoons of Curry Powder, I like Madras
1/2 Teaspoon Tumeric
1/4 Teaspoon Garam Masala
1/4 Teaspoon ground Coriander
1/4 - 1/2 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper (*Optional for heat lovers)
2 Tablespoons chopped Cilantro stems
1 28 oz. Can Roma Tomatoes
6 Boneless Chicken Thighs, fat removed and cut into bite-sized pieces
1 Cup Plain 6% Yogourt, I like Astro
1/4 Cup heavy cream
3 Tablespoons finely chopped Cilantro Leaves
Method:
In a large heavy bottomed Dutch oven, heat the sunflower oil on medium and add the cumin seeds and stir for a few minutes.
Add the onion and saute on low until the onions are translucent
Add the garlic and ginger and cook for a minute
Then add the cinnamon stick, salt and pepper, curry powder, tumeric, garam masala, ground coriander, cayenne if you wish, and chopped cilantro stems to the pot and stir for another minute on medium
Tomatoes: Using clean hands, put a little more than half of the can of tomatoes in a separate bowl. Reserving the liquid, take each tomato and crush them with your hands into the spice mixture. You are only using the tomatoes, not the liquid
Cook this mixture (this is called a masala) on medium-low for about five minutes until the oil separates and rises to the top
Add the chicken to the masala and cook it through on low until fully cooked. This may take fifteen minutes.
Stir in the yogourt and cream with a wooden spoon until fully blended and simmer on low for another ten minutes
Add most of the chopped cilantro, and reserve some for serving
Serve on a bed of basmati rice and top with the reserved cilantro
A feast any time of year!
Masala
Masala is a Hindi word that literally translates to 'spices'. But it has multiple meanings depending on the context, such as a mixture of spices, also known as Garam Masala It may also be a 'base sauce' such as the one I made above, that involves mixing several ingredients such as spices along with onions, ginger, garlic and tomatoes. This masala or base sauce is used to make curries with poultry, meat, fish or vegetables. You can also make this in advance to speed up the cooking process, and it will keep for up to a week in the fridge. Tip: Adding a little more oil will help preserve it longer.