One of my family's favorite cuisines is Indian. We love this exotic Indian chicken curry made from scratch. Since I was young, I used to love playing around with the various spices and experiment with the tastes and flavors of various combinations of spices. As an adult, I decided to do my own research behind this ancient cuisine and was so facinated with my findings.
Although the flavor of Indian food is absolutely delicious, I find that the dishes are a little too oily and somewhat overcooked for my taste. I spoke to an Indian friend about it and she said that "that is Indian food." I realized that there may have been a reason for well cooked food...sanitary conditions in India. But here in the US, cooking curries either in a pressure cooker or for a long time is not necessary. I like my chicken tender with the flavor infused as a result of marinating the chicken rather than a long, stewing process.
Health benefits of Indian spices
India trip. This gread-grandfather walked several miles every morning for exercise.
On my various trips to India, I noticed many older people exercising and walking for miles. I believe that the cuisine, in particular the spices had something to do with it. Tumeric and chili is used in almost every dish, including rinsing raw meat. The Indians believe that tumeric is a panacea for all ailments. Today in the western world, tumeric is gaining popularity and known to have many health benefits, from anti-inflamatory and antiseptic properties to reducing memory loss. What is even more interesting is the combination of tumeric and black pepper that is needed to allow our bodies to fully absorb the benefits of tumeric, the two ingredients that is commonplace in Indian cuisine. This exotic Indian chicken curry has a multitude of healthy spices!
Tips for making Exotic Indian chicken curry.
Chicken.
For this exotic Indian chicken curry, I prefer using skinless chicken thighs with the bone. Cut the thighs into large chunks around the bone. Cooking the thigh bones impart additional flavor to the curry. You can use a whole chicken and cut it up into pieces, but the tenderness of the white and dark pieces varies noticeably!
Marinade.
This Indian chicken curry marinade requires a few spices and 2% or 5% yoghurt. Fage yoghurt has a 5% milkfat which provides a delicious, rich sauce without the need for butter! The yoghurt not only provides richness to the dish but also helps tenderize the chicken. The most important spices besides the salt and black pepper are the tumeric, coriander and cumin. The other spices provide a complex and exotic flavor to the dish when roasted, blended and simmered together.
Whole spices.
The whole spices do permeate the chicken gravy. They are not meant to be eaten. Fresh curry leaves can be obtained in an ethnic (Indian) grocery store. These are optional but they do give the curry a unique flavor and aroma. If you do purchase a bunch, rinse and dry the leaves and freeze them in a freezer bag for future use.
Vegetables.
This exotic Indian chicken curry has tomatoes and onions that form the sauce and potatoes and petit pois. The potatoes are cut into 2" cubes. If you use baking potatoes for this dish, the potatoes will tend to break down easily. This will aid in thickening the gravy naturally while losing the integrity of the potato. Therefore, whatever potato is used is personal preference.
I use roma tomatoes as these tomatoes tend to be less juicy which results in a thicker sauce since the liquid will be coming primarily from the fresh tomato sauce.
Frozen petit pois (peas) are recommended. These are usually a little more expensive but tend not to be pasty and mushy as regular frozen peas! (Well worth the extra cost.)
Cut potatoes
Exotic Indian chicken curry accompaniments
Curry is usually served with either a rice or an Indian flatbread like roti or sourdough naan. For a fruity contrast, a chutney can be used. If the curry is too spicy, yoghurt raita can be used to lower the heat level.
Indian chicken curry with roti and rice
INDIAN CHICKEN CURRY
Ingredients
- 907 g skinless chicken thighs 6 thighs for 1x recipe
- 2 Tbsp combination of chopped ginger and garlic preferably fresh
- 2-3 Tbsp cooking oil.
- 1 tsp ground tumeric powder
- 1 tsp gound coriander powder
- 1 tsp gound cumin powder
- ¼ cup water
Chicken marinade
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp ground tumeric powder
- 1 tsp ground coriander powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin powder
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg optional
- ¼ tsp ground mace optional
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- 1 Tbsp combination of chopped ginger and garlic
- ½ cup 2% or 5% plain greek yogurt
- ½-1 tsp chili powder
Vegetables
- 4 medium potatoes, quartered Cubed 2"
- 4 medium roma tomatoes, diced
- 1 large brown onion, diced
- 1 Tbsp combination of chopped ginger and garlic
- 1 tsp fresh chili pepper, diced Optional for spiciness. Thai chili is even spicier
- 1 cup frozen petit pois (green peas)
- ¼ cup fresh chopped cilantro Flavor and garnish
Whole spices
- 3-4 fresh curry leaves
- 2 star anise
- 2 whole green cardamom
- 4-5 whole cloves
- 1 small cinnamon stick
Instructions
- Mince and grate fresh garlic and ginger and combine.2 Tbsp combination of chopped ginger and garlic
- Finely chop chili peppers for spiciness.1 tsp fresh chili pepper, diced
- Peel and quarter potatoes.4 medium potatoes, quartered
- Dice onions.4 medium roma tomatoes, diced, 1 large brown onion, diced
- Clean and cut chicken thighs into large chunks.907 g skinless chicken thighs
- Marinate chicken with dry spices, 1 Tbsp of combined garlic and ginger and yoghurt for at least 4 hours and preferably overnight.2 Tbsp combination of chopped ginger and garlic, 1 tsp ground tumeric powder, 1 tsp gound coriander powder, 1 tsp gound cumin powder, 2 tsp sea salt, 1 tsp black pepper, ½ tsp ground nutmeg, ¼ tsp ground mace, ¼ tsp ground cinnamon, ¼ tsp ground cloves, ½ cup 2% or 5% plain greek yogurt, 1 Tbsp combination of chopped ginger and garlic
- Pre-heat heavy bottomed, cast-iron saucepan with oil2-3 Tbsp cooking oil.
- Fry chopped ginger and garlic.1 Tbsp combination of chopped ginger and garlic
- Add onions and whole spices.1 large brown onion, diced, 3-4 fresh curry leaves, 2 star anise, 2 whole green cardamom, 4-5 whole cloves, 1 small cinnamon stick
- Add chili peppers if desired.1 tsp fresh chili pepper, diced
- Stir until mixed.
- Add ground spices.1 tsp ground tumeric powder, 1 tsp ground cumin powder, 1 tsp ground coriander powder
- Saute onions until translucent.
- Add potatoes.4 medium potatoes, quartered
- Dice tomatoes while potatoes are sauteing
- Cook potatoes until 50% cooked. About 10 minutes.
- Add chicken and combine.907 g skinless chicken thighs
- Coarsely and briefly blend the diced tomatoes to form a thick, lumpy tomato sauce.
- Add the coarsely blended tomatoes.
- Pour the water into the marinated chicken and tomato bowl to gather the remaining spices. Add water to the saucepan and bring to boil.¼ cup water
- Reduce to a low boil and cook for 15 minutes.
- Add frozen peas. Stir. Season to taste. Cook for an additional 5 minutes. Serve with rice or Indian flatbread.1 cup frozen petit pois (green peas)
- Garnish with chopped cilantro leaves.