Chicken Curry

One of my favorite childhood dishes growing up was chicken curry. We had a family ritual growing up – every Sunday lunch was chicken curry that my dad, my brother and I cooked together. Years later I still remember those lunches very fondly, the laughter and the conversations that took place while we were cooking together. I guess that is the power of creating mealtime rituals. So it was natural for me to make what I ate as a kid for my kids.

Most people think Curry is a stew you make by adding the market bought “curry powder” but curry is actually a combination of spices. Curry is what you want it to be – you can add whatever spices and herbs you want and call it curry in Indian cuisine. No two Indian families will make chicken curry the same way.

This curry is mildly spiced and is a perfect introduction for toddlers and older infants to a dish that has flavors but does not overwhelm you. My 3 years old loves to eat it. My 8 month old also loves to eat this recipe. For adults who prefer a kick you can add some cayenne pepper to add a kick.

2.5 lbs chicken pieces

3 small onions

1inch ginger piece

6 garlic cloves

1 ½ tomatoes cut into small pieces

¾ tsp turmeric powder

1.5 tsp coriander powder

½ tsp Garam Masala (optional)

1 tbsp cooking oil

Salt to taste

Cilantro bunch to garnish (optional)

1)      Blend the onions, garlic and ginger into a paste.

2)      Heat the oil in a pot on medium heat.

3)      Add the pureed onion, garlic and ginger paste and fry till the paste turn red.

4)      Add the salt, turmeric and coriander powder.

5)      Add the chicken to the mixture and fry for 5-10 minutes.

6)      Add the tomatoes to the chicken mixture and fry for another 5 minutes

7)      Add water to get the required curry consistency and boil till chicken is cooked. I use my pressure cooker to make chicken where after adding the water, I close the cooker lid and wait for 3 whistles (5 minutes)

8)      Add the Garam masala if desired.

9)      Garnish with chopped cilantro leaves and serve with rice.

NOTE:

The trick to an incredible homemade curry is to sauté the onions as long as you can. The more you sauté the better the curry tastes. You can buy turmeric and coriander powder in pretty much any grocery store. Garam Masala is a powder made from grinding cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and a few other spices and can be bought in Indian stores.