Recipe | A punchy chicken curry

As is often the case after a week in another country, on return from Australia all I wanted to eat was something comforting and familiar. Curry it was, and it was good. Just hot enough to for the body to respond with sweat and serotonin, without you having to bury your face in the freezer.

Serves 4
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
2 cloves
10 cardamom pods
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp chilli powder

2 tsp mustard seed
A few curry leaves
1/4 tsp asafoetida
2 dried red chillies
1 tsp onion seeds

1 red onion, peeled and roughly chopped
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 tin coconut milk
1 tbsp tomato puree
4 chicken breasts, cut into chunks
A couple of large handfuls of spinach

– Start by toasting the whole spices (cumin, coriander, cloves) in a dry frying pan until their scent tickles your nostrils. Some recommend toasting separately but life’s too short. Tip them into a pestle and mortar and grind with the cardamom.

– Heat a little oil in a saucepan over a medium flame. Add the mustard seeds and, once they start to pop, chuck in the curry leaves, asafoetida, dried red chillies and onion seeds. Keep stirring until the chillies char and wilt, then throw in the onion and garlic. Lower the heat and soften for 10 minutes before banging it back up and stir-frying with the ground spices, chilli powder and turmeric.

– Add the coconut milk and tomato puree and season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil and simmer gently for 20 minutes until thickened, then add the chicken. Simmer for 10 minutes then stir in the spinach. Cook until wilted and serve with rice and a handful of coriander.

16 thoughts on “Recipe | A punchy chicken curry

  1. This recipe looks and sounds amazing, I can’t wait to try it. *Blushes* but I’ve never come across Asafoetida before but I see it’s readily available everywhere so no excuses not to go out grab all the ingredients and get cooking 🙂

  2. great, do you suggest eating it with rice or bread? hope it is quite saucy, can’t wait to cook it

  3. Just what the doctor ordered now that the sunny weather is leaving us. Like Deborah, I haven’t cooked with Asafoetida before. Can you use it in many dishes? My spice rack is already over flowing…

  4. Ramsden
    Your curry has given me a savage dose of the licorice. Asafoetida? Most certainly. The Contessa d’Flange — ex-nurse with the French Resistance — advises me your recipe has aggravated an injury sustained during the 1957 Charity Camel Race from Cape to Cairo.
    Have you good legal counsel, Sir?
    Lord Arse of Bridgewater

    • Dear Lard Arse,

      My apologies if the curry left you with a nipsy like Johnny Cash. I should warn you I have the finest legal council this side of Stoke. Give it your best shot.

      Ramsden.

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