Basic Chicken Curry

(from mhuff’s recipe box)

Source: Beyond Curry: Quick and Easy Indian Cooking Featuring Cuisine from Maharashtra State by Hemalata C. Dandekar

Categories: chicken, curry, dinner, indian, rice

Ingredients

  • 3 dried red chilies, broken in half (I use red pepper flakes)
  • 5 black peppercorns
  • 5 whole cloves
  • 1/4 inch cinnamon stick or 1/4 t cinnamon powder
  • 1 T shredded, unsweetened coconut (optional)
  • 1 T cumin seeds, or 1 1/4 t cumin powder
  • 1 T coriander seeds, or 1 T coriander powder
  • 1# tomatoes (fresh or stewed)
  • 5 cloves garlic
  • 1 inch piece fresh ginger root, coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 c onions, finely chopped
  • 1 1/2 T oil
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3# chicken
  • 1 T salt

Directions

  1. In a small pan, dry heat red chilies, black pepper, cloves, cinnamon, coconut, cumin, and coriander over medium to high heat, stirring constantly.

  2. In a blender, puree spices, tomatoes, garlic, and ginger until they form a homogeneous liquid.

  3. Heat oil in a 4-quart heavy pot. Add the bay leaf and chopped onions, and lightly fry until the onions are a crisp golden yellow tinged with brown. Constant stirring is necessary to prevent burning.

  4. Blot moisture from the chicken with a paper towel. Add chicken to the pot. Stir until the pieces are browned, then add the tomato and spice mixture, stirring and coating the chicken with it. Clean the blender container with 1 c water and add this along with the salt.

  5. Bring to a boil on high heat. Lower heat, cover, and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, stirring every 15 minutes or so.

  6. Serve hot, with rice.

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