A real home made chicken curry

Hello my dear ones,

seems like autumn is coming in slowly steps. Sun is going down ealier again and temperatures too.
I really like that time of the year and most of all you get a craving for nice hot meals. So maybe a curry again?

Well, there are many ways to cook a curry in India. Depending on the region every household has it´s own style.

I got this recipe from friends in India and want to share it with you. It´s more about the combination of spices than using a lot of oil and cream.

What I like about this curry is that you can use different types of meat. Though I usually prefer chicken breast.
But when I was in India, I realised that indians prefer bone pieces in their curry and I also tasted the difference, since the bones give more flavour to the curry.
But you can mix it of course too using breast pieces and bone pieces.

To start cooking an indian curry you always need ginger, garlic and onions and once the onions are golden brown you start to add the other spices to get the real masala.
It´s possible to just add some garam masala which is a complex mixture of indian spices and adds a nice aromatic taste to the curry. But that´s not the way indians cook. :)

So if you like a herbal note that you can add some coriander, for a stronger taste you use cumin and to add some sweetness you use some cinnamon for example.  I used all these ingrediants and it tastes fantastic.

As soon as the spices are in the pay, the aromatic oils are coming out and evolve their flavour. This wouldn´t happen if you add the spices to the tomatoes only.

After the tomatoes are added, they need to simmer on middle flame until it becomes thick. Only then the turmeric will be added which gives the dish a earthy note again.

As soon as the oil seperates from the tomatoes it´s about time to add the chicken with some water and a little sugar. Then it will be cooked for around 40 minutes. 

At the end we add some freshly chopped coriander and that´s it. Maybe it´s not the kind of curry you get here in a restaurant but believe me, it´s super tasty. 

Ingredients: 

• 3 tablespoons yogurt
• 2 tablespoons buttermilk 
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 2 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 8-10 chicken drumsticks and thighs, (it´s often skinned)
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 3 onions, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• large piece of ginger- thumb size, finely chopped (alternative I use ginger-garlic paste)
• 2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 3 teaspoon garam masala
• 2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon or a cinnamon stick
• 4 cardamom pods
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 750g fresh tomatoes, chopped (canned tomatoes are also fine) 
• 1 small red chili, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• Salt to taste
• fresh coriander, chopped

Method: 

1. The meat gets a marination and for this you mix yogurt, buttermilk,1 teaspoon turmeric, 2 teaspoon garam masala, 1 teaspoon coriander, 1 teaspoon cumin. Put the chicken in a big bowl and prick the pieces with a knife. Pour the marinade over the chicken and make sure the pieces are nicely covered. Put it in a fridge over night. If you´re short of time even 2 to 4 hours of marinating is ok. 
2. Heat il in a pan, add the onion, garlic, ginger and stir well until transparent. Add the 2 teaspoon garam masala, 2 teaspoon coriander, 2 teaspoon cumin, cardamom and cinnamon. Stir until the onion mixture is golden and caramelized and then add the tomato paste and the chopped tomatoes. Mix it well and let it simmer until the oils begin to separate. Then add the chili, turmeric and salt and cook for another few minutes. Now finally add the chicken but not the marinade.
3. Let it all cook for a few minutes and add a cup of water so that the pieces are covered. Let it simmer for 40-45 minutes and add the marinade to the mixture 15 minutes before the end of the cooking time. Make sure the chicken is cooked to the bone and the gravy should be thick. Garnish with freshly chopped coriander and you´re done. 

Your SunShine