Meera Sodhas Chicken Curry
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or ghee ⓘ
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil, like canola ⓘ
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 cinnamon sticks, approximately 2 inches long ⓘ
- 2 large white or yellow onions, peeled and finely chopped ⓘ
- 1 2 1/2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated or minced ⓘ
- 6 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed ⓘ
- 2 green cayenne or jalapeno peppers, stemmed, seeded and cut into half-moons ⓘ
- Kosher salt, to taste
- 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons pureed tomatoes ⓘ
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 3 tablespoons whole-milk yogurt, plus 1 cup to serve with the meal ⓘ
- 1 3/4 to 2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch chunks ⓘ
- 3 tablespoons slivered almonds ⓘ
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- Pinch ground cayenne pepper, or to taste. ⓘ
Instructions
- Melt the butter or ghee in the oil in a large Dutch oven set over medium heat, and when it is hot and shimmering, add the cumin seeds and cinnamon sticks.
- Cook for a minute or two, stirring often, to intensify their flavors, then add the onions.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, until they are golden, approximately 15 to 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, put the ginger, garlic and peppers into a mortar and pestle with a pinch of salt, and smash them together into a coarse paste.
- (You can also do this on a cutting board, with a knife.)
- Add the paste to the onions, and cook for 2 minutes or so, then pour in the tomatoes, and stir.
- Allow to cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, then add the tomato paste, ground cumin, ground turmeric and another pinch of salt, and stir to combine.
- Add the yogurt slowly to the mixture, using a wooden spoon to whisk it into the sauce.
- It may be quite thick.
- When it begins to bubble, add the chicken.
- Lower the heat, put the lid on the Dutch oven and allow the curry to cook gently for 30 minutes or so, or until the chicken is cooked through.
- Add the almonds and the garam masala, along with a pinch of cayenne, and cook for 5 minutes more or so.
- Serve with basmati rice or naan, and the additional yogurt.
Nutrition & Diet Analysis (per serving)
777
kcal
39% DV
Protein
Fat
Carbs
* % Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet (FDA 2020).