Spicy Chicken Curry

Ingredients

• 0.5 cup vegetable oil (Divided; use 2 tablespoons for browning the chicken and the remaining 2 tablespoons for the chiles.)
• 12 lb chicken drumsticks and thighs (Skinned; bone-in.)
• 2 tbsp salt (To season the chicken and curry; the method specifies 1 teaspoon for the spice puree, plus additional salt to taste.)
• 4 jalapeños (Coarsely chopped with some seeds; remove all seeds for a milder curry if preferred.)
• 2 dried red chiles (Broken into pieces.)
• 2 onions (Large; coarsely chopped.)
• 8 garlic cloves (Large; finely chopped.)
• 1 ginger (Piece 3 inches long, peeled and sliced crosswise into paper-thin rounds.)
• 2 tbsp ground coriander
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1.5 tsp ground fenugreek seeds
• 0.5 tsp cinnamon (Ground.)
• 0.5 tsp ground cloves
• 0.5 tsp nutmeg (Freshly grated.)
• 0.5 tsp paprika
• 2 lb tomatoes (Chopped.)
• 1 cup cilantro (Chopped for the puree; additional leaves for garnish, amount unspecified.)
• 0.5 cup plain yogurt
• 0.5 cup water (The method also specifies adding 1/4 cup toward the end if the sauce becomes too thick; this additional amount is not included in the listed 1/2 cup.)
• garam masala (For sprinkling over the finished curry.)
• 0.25 cup water (Additional water toward the end of cooking if the sauce gets too thick.)
• cilantro leaves (For garnish; amount unspecified.)

Steps

1. 1

   Gather and prepare the ingredients. Coarsely chop the jalapeños and onions, finely chop the garlic, peel and thinly slice the ginger, and chop the tomatoes and cilantro as specified.

2. 2

   Heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a large, deep skillet over high heat. Season the chicken with salt and add it to the skillet. Brown for about 3 minutes per side, until golden; transfer the chicken to a large bowl.

3. 3

   Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the skillet with the jalapeños and broken dried red chiles. Cook over moderately high heat for about 30 seconds, until sizzling.

4. 4

   Add the onions, garlic, and ginger to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes, until deep brown.

5. 5

   Spoon the onion mixture into a food processor. Add the coriander, cumin, fenugreek, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, paprika, and 1 teaspoon of salt; puree until smooth.

6. 6

   Transfer the onion puree back to the skillet. Put the tomatoes and chopped cilantro in the food processor and puree.

7. 7

   Return the browned chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Cook over moderate heat, stirring, for about 8 minutes, until the onion sauce begins to stick.

8. 8

   Stir the yogurt into the skillet, then stir in the pureed tomato and cilantro.

9. 9

   Simmer gently over moderately low heat for about 50 minutes, turning the chicken occasionally, until cooked through. Add 1/4 cup water toward the end if the sauce becomes too thick; the test kitchen advises adding more water as needed and keeping the simmer gentle so the chicken does not toughen.

10. 10

    Season the curry with salt. Transfer the chicken to a platter, pour the sauce over it, sprinkle with garam masala and cilantro leaves, and serve.

Notes

The curry can be refrigerated overnight and reheated gently; add a little water if needed. For a milder curry, remove all jalapeño seeds. A fruity, aromatic white wine such as Torrontés or a lighter-styled Gewürztraminer is suggested as a pairing. The listed 12 pounds of chicken is retained as published in the structured recipe data.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• spicy
• Indian
• curry
• chicken
• gluten-free
• dairy-containing
• stovetop