Chicken Madras Curry

Ingredients

• 1.1 lb boneless chicken breasts or thighs (cut into bite-sized pieces)
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste (grated or crushed; 1/2 tbsp each of ginger and garlic)
• 2 tbsp coriander leaves (handful, finely chopped)
• 1.5 tbsp lemon juice
• 0.5 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder (up to 1 tsp; omit for low heat)
• 0.5 tsp sea salt
• 1 tbsp Madras curry powder (for marinade)
• 1 tsp garam masala (more if needed)
• 3 tbsp ghee (divided; or use half ghee and half oil)
• 1 cup onions (sliced)
• 0.5 inch ginger (peeled and sliced)
• 3 garlic cloves (medium, sliced)
• 1.75 cup tomatoes (sliced or diced)
• 0.33 cup carrots (sliced)
• 0.33 cup red bell pepper (sliced (optional))
• 1.5 cup water or broth (divided; 1 cup for base, 1/2 cup hot water for finishing)
• 1 tbsp Madras curry powder (for the sauce)
• 0.5 tsp Kashmiri chili powder (up to 1 tsp; adjust to taste or omit for low heat)
• 0.5 tbsp tamarind paste (up to 1.5 tbsp; or use chutney or 1 tsp concentrate)
• 0.5 tbsp sugar (up to 1 tbsp; or jaggery; omit if using chutney)
• 0.25 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
• 0.5 cup coconut milk (optional, at room temperature)

Steps

1. 1

   In a bowl, marinate the chicken with lemon juice, 1 tablespoon Madras curry powder, 1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder, garam masala, ginger garlic paste, coriander leaves, and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt. Keep aside until the sauce base is ready.

2. 2

   Pour half of the ghee (or oil) into a pot over medium heat. Add the sliced onions, carrots, sliced ginger, and sliced garlic. Sauté for about 5 minutes until softened.

3. 3

   Add the tomatoes and bell peppers to the pot. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.

4. 4

   Pour in 1 cup of water. Cover and cook until the vegetables are fully tender and mushy.

5. 5

   Allow the vegetable mixture to cool down slightly, then transfer to a blender. Blend until you have a completely smooth puree.

6. 6

   In the same pan (wiped clean if necessary), pour the remaining ghee. Add the marinated chicken and sauté for 5 minutes on medium heat.

7. 7

   Stir in the second portion of Madras curry powder (1 tbsp), salt (1/4 tsp), and Kashmiri chili powder (1/2 tsp).

8. 8

   Transfer the blended onion-tomato base sauce back into the pan with the chicken and mix well.

9. 9

   Pour in 1/2 cup of hot water and mix. Cover and cook until the chicken is fork-tender, about 5 to 8 minutes. Avoid overcooking if using chicken breasts.

10. 10

    Stir in a small amount of tamarind paste (or chutney) and sugar. Mix well. Taste the sauce; it should be hot, spicy, slightly sweet, and tangy. Adjust with more salt, sugar, tamarind, or garam masala as needed.

11. 11

    If the curry is too hot for your preference, turn down the heat and pour in the room-temperature coconut milk. Bring it to a very gentle boil and then turn off the heat immediately.

12. 12

    Sprinkle with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot with rice, chapati, or roti.

Notes

If using lemon juice instead of tamarind for the final tang, add it only at the time of serving. For an extra layer of flavor, you can add a tempering: heat 1 tbsp ghee, add 1/4 tsp mustard seeds, 2 dried red chilies, and a sprig of curry leaves until crisp, then pour over the finished curry.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• curry
• chicken
• spicy
• BIR
• dinner
• Indian-inspired