Kadhai Chicken

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 1 chili pepper(s), dried
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• ½ cm cinnamon
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cloves
• 16 cardamom pods, green
• 400 g chicken breast fillet(s)
• 1 tsp spice paste (ginger-garlic)
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 large onions
• 2 large tomatoes
• 1 small green bell pepper(s)
• 1 cup water
• ½ tsp garam masala
• 2 tsp spice paste (ginger-garlic)
• ¼ tsp turmeric
• 1 pinch of salt
• 2 tbsp coriander leaves

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 40 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 10 minutes

traditional North Indian curry with chicken

First, we’ll make the kadhai masala (spice mix) for our dish. Dry roast the coriander seeds, dried chilies (I always use 1 chili, but if you like it hotter, you can vary the amount), cumin seeds, and the piece of cinnamon stick in a pan until the wonderful aromas are readily available. Then, grind the roasted ingredients in a mortar and pestle until they form a coarse powder. Wash the chicken and cut it into large pieces (about the size of a goulash or even a little larger). Marinate it in a bowl with half of the previously prepared kadhai masala, 1 teaspoon of ginger-garlic paste (making this paste is very simple and is explained at the end of this recipe), the lemon juice, and a little salt. Mix well and set aside. Peel the onions and chop them into large pieces. Chop the coriander leaves and roughly puree the tomatoes with a hand blender. Heat the oil in a pan, wok, or a suitable pot (I always use an enameled pot). Fry the bay leaves, cloves, and cardamom pods for about 1 minute. Be careful not to overheat, or the ingredients will burn quickly! Add the onion and 2 teaspoons of ginger and garlic paste and sauté for about 2-3 minutes, until the onions soften. Add the remaining kadhai masala powder and mix well. Sauté for another minute. Add the tomato puree and simmer over medium heat for about 3-4 minutes, until the oil settles on top. Add the marinated chicken pieces, mix well, and simmer covered for another 3-4 minutes. Now add salt and water, cover, and bring the curry to a boil. Meanwhile, cut the bell pepper into bite-sized pieces. After 10-12 minutes, the chicken will be wonderfully soft, but still deliciously juicy. At this point, add the bell peppers and simmer for another 5 minutes over medium heat. Remove from the heat, add the garam masala, and stir well. Serve on a plate with rice and sprinkle with some freshly chopped coriander. Make the ginger-garlic paste: Blend 1 part ginger with 1 part garlic (I use 30 g of each) in a blender with about 3 tablespoons of oil until a paste forms. It will keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks without any problems. It can also be frozen.