Ingredients
Total Time: 1 hour
Chicken Marinade Ingredients (for 1 – 1.5 lbs boneless chicken thighs – cut into bite size chunks)
1.5 – 2 Tbsp Indian ginger garlic paste
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp red Indian chili powder (more if you like it spicier)
1 – 2 Tbsp plain yogurt
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp tumeric
1/2 tsp cumin
Curry / Other Ingredients
1 red onion (finely chopped)
1.5 Tbsp Indian ginger garlic paste
5 green cardamom pods (or 1 tsp cardamom powder)
2 or 3 whole cloves (or 1/4 tsp ground cloves)
2″ cinnamon stick (or 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon)
1.5 tsp red Indian chili powder
1 tsp Kashmir chili powder (or sweet paprika)
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp fenugreek powder
1 tsp cumin powder
2 tsp garam masala powder
1 tsp salt
1 – 2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 28oz can tomato sauce (No basil or additives, just 100% tomato sauce or puree)
4 Tbsp butter
1 cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp crushed dry fenugreek leaves
3 cups cooked Basmati rice (See note below for rice tips)
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
handful of chopped coriander / cilantro leaves (optional)
Procedure
Mix together the cut chicken, and all Chicken Marinade ingredients into a bowl. Let marinade for at least 1 hour, overnight if possible.
Heat 2 Tbsp vegetable oil in a pot over medium-high heat.
Once the oil is to temperature, add the chicken to the pot and cook until 80% done. About 7 minutes.
Once the chicken is 80% cooked, remove from the pot and set aside in a bowl, covering with foil to keep the heat in and protect the chicken.
Turn the heat to medium, and if using any whole spices, add them to the pot. Heat the spices in the oil for a minute or so. If using all powdered spices, skip this step.
Add 2Tbsp butter and the chopped onion to the pot. Saute in the remaining oil until starting to sweat, about 3 or 4 minutes.
Add 1.5 Tbsp ginger garlic paste to the onions and mix well. Cook until raw smell subsides, about 1 or 2 minutes.
Add all powdered spices and sugar to the pot (Do not add dry fenugreek leaves). Sprinkle evenly over the onions, and mix well so there are no clumps and the spices and onions turn into a paste. Saute for 2 or 3 minutes until the spices become aromatic.
Add the 28oz can of tomato puree to the pot, and increase the heat until it starts to bubble.
Turn the heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
After 30 minutes, add 1 cup heavy cream and 2 Tbsp butter to the pot, and stir until evenly combined. Continue to cook until mixture starts to bubble again.
Add all of the chicken and accumulated juices from the bowl to the pot. Stir to combine evenly. Cook for another 5 minutes.
Sprinkle 1 Tbsp crushed fenugreek leaves over the pot, and stir to combine evenly. Continue to cook for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid burning the curry.
Serve in dishes with rice or naan on the side, with a pinch of chopped coriander leaves sprinkled over top of the curry.
Quick and easy Basmati rice
If you don’t have a rice cooker, trying to measure out exact measurements for rice to water ratios with the intent of the rice absorbing all of the water and being perfectly cooked can be difficult. Rather than trying to get perfectly cooked rice via absorption, it’s easier to cook Basmati rice as you would pasta.
Take a few cups of Basmati rice in a large mixing bowl.
Take the bowl to the sink, and turn on the faucet to rinse the rice.
As the water fills the bowl, gently move your open hand through the rice, being careful not to squeeze the rice or press it up against the sides of the bowl. You want to be gentle with the rice and not break the grains, but also swish it around to remove the excess starch.
As the bowl fills with water, the starch will make it cloudy.
Pour out the water, being careful not to pour out the rice, and repeat the process until the water pours out mostly clear.
It may take 6 or 7 rinses for 3 cups of rice in a large mixing bowl.
Once the water is mostly clear, fill the bowl with water so it’s covering the rice and let it soak for 15 or 20 minutes.
As the rice is soaking, heat a large pot of water on the stove until boiling. Add 1 Tbsp salt, and a couple of tablespoons of butter or oil.
Drain the rice and add it to the pot of boiling water.
The rice should be fully cooked about 8 – 10 minutes after boiling. Check the rice at 8 minutes. Bite a grain and if the rice soft all the way through, with the center all one shade of white, the rice is done.
Drain the rice in a colander and the rice is done.