This is a tasty and warming winter recipe. I make it most weeks, usually in the afternoon whilst my youngest sleeps, but then I put it in the slow cooker or on a low heat in the oven, so that the meat is tender and the flavours luscious!
It is a great meal if you have guests. It is a mild curry and also a cross between a curry and a stew. So even non curry fans will like it and it is hearty. My 1 year old even likes it!
If you have never made a curry before, this is a great one to start with. The first time I made it, I didn't have many of the ingredients, so had to spend a fortune on spices. But the spices are great store cupboard ingredients, so it works out more cost effective in the long run. Plus you will never buy a jar of curry sauce again. The base of this dish tastes so delicious and has a real depth of flavour and once you have made it once, every other time is so much easier.
The recipe is adaptable, you can add whatever meat or veg you fancy, but the idea is, you use the same base.
I make this curry in two stages. First make the base. You can make it advance if easier.
Then make the main part and add the base afterwards.
Ingredients:
To serve 2-4 people - this is a very generous serving for 2, but with added veg can easily feed 4.
Sauce/Base:
3 onions chopped
2 gloves of garlic
1-2 inches of chopped fresh ginger
1 red chilli chopped (if you like heat, add another!)
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1 tbsp tomato puree
300ml chicken stock- a stock cube is fine. Use 250ml of this and keep the remaining 50ml for later if you need to add more liquid.
Method:
Heat some vegetable oil (or ghee if you have it) in a casserole dish or saucepan over a hob.
Add all the ingredients (apart from the tomato puree and stock) to the pan when hot. Stir and continue to cook until the onions are translucent and starting to brown.
Spoon the ingredients into a tall jug (see picture) and add the tomato puree and chicken stock.
Use a blender to create your sauce. It can be as smooth or chunky as you prefer.
Once blended, return the to the casserole dish and bring to the boil, then simmer. This will thicken the sauce slightly. Put the sauce to one side.
Curry:
600g boneless chicken thighs chopped(you can use chicken breast if you prefer)
2 large onions. Chopped
1 red chilli chopped (optional)
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garam masala
1 tbsp tomatoe puree
Ideas of veg to add:
1 red pepper chopped into large chunks
Bag of spinach (my favourite veg to add!) Literally stir it in. It wilts nicely
Aubergine chopped
Sweet potato
chick peas are also a great addition
You really could add whatever you like, the base is so tasty in itself that you can choose your veg based on what you have in the fridge, or whatever your personal preference is.
Method:
Heat vegetable oil in the same casserole dish you used to make the sauce. Or in your slow cooker (if you can use it on a hob)
When the oil is hot add the chicken pieces and fry gently adding salt and pepper, turning over ensuring nice and brown.
When browned, but not necessarily cooked through. Remove the chicken and set aside. (It will cook through later)
Add the onion, chilli, cumin powder and turmeric and fry in the juices until nicely browned.
*If adding vegetables add to the onion now and gently simmer, stirring to ensure the vegetables getting nicely browned.
Return the chicken pieces to the dish, along with your curry sauce made earlier.
Add the cinnamon/paprika and garam masala and give a good stir.
Lastly add the tomato puree, give one last stir and bring the dish to the boil.
* If you are not slow cooking, cover the dish and let simmer on the hob for approx 20 mins and sprinkle with fresh coriander and serve.
* If slow cooking. Cover the dish and place in a low oven on 140 C fan for 3-4 hours. Or transfer the curry to your slow cooker, if you do not have one you can use on your hob.
The meat will be deliciously tender and the flavours absolutely lovely.
Make sure you serve with fresh coriander. It makes all the difference!
Serve with basmati rice and enjoy.
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