Chicken Curry

Hubby is out of town in Oregon and a couple of my girlfriends are coming over for some food and fun. Sometimes the girls just need to get together and laugh. I am the one that loves to cook, so one of them suggested I make Chicken Curry. That is a great idea! It is naturally gluten free and very tastey. I am also making homemade naan and a salad. Here is the recipe I use to make Chicken Curry. Below it you will find a recipe for gharum masala. You can buy that at special markets, but I like to make my own. It keeps for 3 months and I can use it to make various indian dishes. I like it fresh.

1 whole chicken (3 lbs.)
2 med. yellow onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2" piece of ginger, minced
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp. yellow mustard seeds
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tsp. turmeric
3" stick cinnamon
2 c. chicken stock
2 tbsp. curry powder
1 tsp. gharum masala
1 c. coconut milk

Cut the chicken into pieces and brown in oil.

Remove and add chopped onion. Saute until tender.
Add garlic and ginger, make sure there is enough oil so that nothing sticks.

Add cumin and mustard seed. Fry until the mustard seeds begin to "pop".

Add the turmeric and curry powder and stir constantly to prevent any sticking.
Stir the "paste" until the curry powder becomes fragrant; this usually takes 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the chopped tomatoes and stir until they form a sauce (3-4 minutes). Add the chicken broth, 

cinnamon stick and chicken. Cover and simmer until chicken is cooked (approximately 45 minutes). add the coconut milk with the chicken broth. Stir in the gharaum masala (recipe below) and serve with white rice.

Recipe for gharaum masala:
2 tablespoons cumin seeds
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons cardamom seeds
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 (3-inch) stick cinnamon, broken up
1 teaspoon whole cloves
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon saffron (optional)
Instructions:
Put the cumin, coriander, cardamom, peppercorns, cinnamon, and cloves in a dry heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Toast the spices, stirring occasionally, until they turn several shades darker and give off a sweet smoky aroma, about 10 minutes. Do not raise the heat to quicken the process, or the spices will brown prematurely, leaving the insides undercooked. Cool completely.
Working in batches if necessary, transfer the mixture to a spice mill or coffee grinder and grind to a powder. Stir in the nutmeg and saffron. Use immediately or store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.

Follow Us!