My Favourite Chicken Curry

Sometimes I just feel like curry, I want the warmth & the spices.  This is my go to & has been for quite some time. It’s adapted, & little differently each time depending on what is lurking in the pantry, from Jamie’s Favourite Curry Sauce from his Happy Days book. An oldie but a goodie.

I find something innately satisfying & comforting about grinding & toasting spices, slowly building the layers of flavour, fragrant aromas emanating from the stove top.  Perfect for a lazy weekend afternoon.

So this is what I ate over this recent long weekend.  Sadly the last one here for a while.  It also marks the start of winter, granted a milder Winter than most & certainly milder than anything I experienced in the UK, but Winter none the less. It makes me want to rug up & hunker down until Spring & the next long weekend! On a positive; bowls of stews, casseroles, soups, curries & the odd glass of red to keep me warm & snuggled.

My Favourite Chicken Curry, adapted from Jamie’s Favourite Curry Sauce

Serves 4

Ingredients

5 tbsp rice bran oil, or other neutral oil

2 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp fenugreek seeds

1 tsp coriander seeds, smashed

3 red chillies, thinly sliced, (to de seed or not to de seed, I’ll leave that up to you depending on how fiery you like your curry)

1 handful curry leaves*

2 tbsp grated ginger

1 large onion, diced

1/2 tsp chilli flakes

1/2 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp turmeric

6 chicken thighs, sliced

6 tomatoes, diced

1 can coconut milk

1/4 cup coriander leaves

Salt

A few more coriander leaves & chilli slices to garnish

*Tip: Buy curry leaves at your local Asian grocer & then freeze them.  They can then just be used straight from frozen.

Directions

Heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat & when hot add the mustard seeds. Wait for them to pop & then add the fenugreek seeds, coriander seeds, chillies, curry leaves & ginger. Stir & fry for a few minutes. Add the onion, season with a pinch of salt, & cook for 5 minutes or so until the onion is softened & a little brown. Add the chilli flakes, cumin, turmeric & stir to combine. 

Fry for a minute & then add the chicken & another pinch of salt.  Cook for a a few minutes until the chicken is seared all over.  Add the tomatoes, cook for a couple of minutes & then add the coconut milk. Turn down the heat to medium low & simmer for about 15 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Taste & adjust seasoning if need be.

This a versatile sauce...if you feel like fish or vegetables make the sauce the whole way through & add at the end, cooking for a few minutes until just cooked through.

Just before serving stir through the coriander leaves.  Serve topped with coriander leaves & sliced chillies with perfect rice.

This is comfort food, warming, aromatic, spicy, creamy.

If you like this you might like this Curried Beef Stew

One year ago Pork Rillettes

Two years ago Braised Lamb Shanks

Enjoy!