Om’s Chicken Curry
This is my father's latest method for making chicken curry, pretty much in his words. He is fond of experimenting, so I doubt this will be the last word, but it's pretty good. I will try and add a photo next time I cook it.
Ingredients:
1 kg chicken (for 6-8 people) – with bones, no skin (could be pretty much anything, though not predominantly breast meat. You could also cut up a whole chicken.)
Vegetables
Spices
Haldi powder (Tumeric) - 3 heaped tsps
Cooking Oil - 3-4 Tbsps
Method
1. Wash the chicken, cut it and remove the skin. Marinate in 1 teaspoon of the turmeric, 1/2 teaspoonful of salt & 1/2 cup of water in it & set aside ( Dad says: "by doing this I find the meat absorbs Haldi & salt thereby the meat fibers become tender& tastier right up to the bone." )
2. Now finely chop up your aromatics (onions (keep onions separate), tomatoes, green chillies, green Dhanya )
3. Put the oil into nice sized heavy pan on a medium flame fire. When the oil is warm enough, put the onions and fry until brown, then put the Hing, then Haldi, rest of the chopped aromatics, coriander powder. (In that order).
4. Fry for 2-3 minutes stirring it so that nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot. Now add 1 splash (1 tbsp) of boiling water from kettle.
5. Now cook the masala properly, by stirring over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, adding splashes of water from the kettle. The oil should separate out slightly.
6. Add the meat (without its water).
7. Fry for 3-5 minutes
8. Add the marinating juices & go on cooking for 5-7 minutes.
9. Now you are ready to add water from the kettle to cover up the meat well. The amount of water will give you the idea as to how much curry (sauce) will be. You know you can add enough more water for allowing it to evaporate while cooking, so that not too watery & not too dry.
10. After adding the water in the meat, please, test the juice of the curry how salty it is. ( you know that you had already added salt with the Haldi while soaking the meat). Hence you can now add salt to your taste. Cover the pot & let it cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring it in between so that the curry doesn’t stick to he bottom. You may have to keep adding a little water from the kettle to maintain the amount of the curry.
11. Now is the time to add a small can of coconut cream into the curry & cover it & the fire has to be left very low. One can add butter one tablespoon ( Dad: "I always do", Sun: "No need".).
After 10 minutes you have Om’s ( Famous) curry.
This is my father's latest method for making chicken curry, pretty much in his words. He is fond of experimenting, so I doubt this will be the last word, but it's pretty good. I will try and add a photo next time I cook it.
Ingredients:
1 kg chicken (for 6-8 people) – with bones, no skin (could be pretty much anything, though not predominantly breast meat. You could also cut up a whole chicken.)
Vegetables
Onion - 1 medium/large (finely chopped)
Tomato - 1 large (remove skin if you like)
Ginger paste - 2 tsps (or chopped/grated fresh ginger and garlic)
Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Green chilli - 2 long ones
Green Dhania/Coriander (3-4 stems with leaves, no roots needed)
Spices
Haldi powder (Tumeric) - 3 heaped tsps
Ground Dhania powder (Ground Coriander) -2 heaped tsps
Garam Masala (if available) – 2 level tsps
Hing powder (Asafoetida) ( if available) 1/2 tsp (small pinch)
Cooking Oil - 3-4 Tbsps
I small can coconut cream
Method
1. Wash the chicken, cut it and remove the skin. Marinate in 1 teaspoon of the turmeric, 1/2 teaspoonful of salt & 1/2 cup of water in it & set aside ( Dad says: "by doing this I find the meat absorbs Haldi & salt thereby the meat fibers become tender& tastier right up to the bone." )
2. Now finely chop up your aromatics (onions (keep onions separate), tomatoes, green chillies, green Dhanya )
3. Put the oil into nice sized heavy pan on a medium flame fire. When the oil is warm enough, put the onions and fry until brown, then put the Hing, then Haldi, rest of the chopped aromatics, coriander powder. (In that order).
4. Fry for 2-3 minutes stirring it so that nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot. Now add 1 splash (1 tbsp) of boiling water from kettle.
5. Now cook the masala properly, by stirring over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, adding splashes of water from the kettle. The oil should separate out slightly.
6. Add the meat (without its water).
7. Fry for 3-5 minutes
8. Add the marinating juices & go on cooking for 5-7 minutes.
9. Now you are ready to add water from the kettle to cover up the meat well. The amount of water will give you the idea as to how much curry (sauce) will be. You know you can add enough more water for allowing it to evaporate while cooking, so that not too watery & not too dry.
10. After adding the water in the meat, please, test the juice of the curry how salty it is. ( you know that you had already added salt with the Haldi while soaking the meat). Hence you can now add salt to your taste. Cover the pot & let it cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring it in between so that the curry doesn’t stick to he bottom. You may have to keep adding a little water from the kettle to maintain the amount of the curry.
11. Now is the time to add a small can of coconut cream into the curry & cover it & the fire has to be left very low. One can add butter one tablespoon ( Dad: "I always do", Sun: "No need".).
After 10 minutes you have Om’s ( Famous) curry.
Comments