Spicy Chicken Curry Recipe

After I got married I have asked myself so many times 'Who is a better cook-Ammi(my mom) or Mom(my mom in law)?'. Till this date I don't know the answer of that question. They both are really good. My point is I didn't know how to cook at all when I got married - not even know how to cook rice. And every time I cook I would get so disappointed with myself and my husband would sweetly say 'Why don't we go out and eat babe'. Mom and Ammi have helped me so much by giving me their recipes. This is one of them.

This Chicken Curry is one of our favorites. Its very rich with the almond paste and cream-goes really well with rice or rotis. I have made this for guests and they have loved it too.  For an Indian, this curry would be medium spicy, However, for others this is 'HOT'. Sadly, don't think these pictures do justice to the color of this curry. Ya Ya you are right! I need to take some photography lessons. 

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Ingredients

1 kg chicken

1 cup curd

1 tsp shah jeera or caraway seeds

whole spices(1' cinnamon, 3 cloves,1 star aniseed, 1 cardamom,1 bayleaf) 

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp chopped garlic 

1 tbsp chopped ginger

4 green chillies

1 onion

4 heaped tsp kashmiri chilli powder

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

4 tbsp almond paste made from 50g  of almonds

1/4 cup tomato paste

 1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves

3/4 tsp garam masala

1 cup chicken stock

1/4 cup cream 

salt and pepper to taste

Merthod

Marinate the chicken in curd and 1 tsp salt for a minimum of half an hour. Keep this aside.

Microwave 50g of almond in 4 tbsp water for 4 mins on high. Make this into a paste in a blender.

Chop the onions, ginger and garlic. Slice the green chillies. Chop the coriander leaves and keep aside. At this point you can do all the other prep work like measuring the ingredients.

 When the marination time is over, heat butter in a heavy bottom pan. When the butter melts add the shah jeera and the whole spices.Let the spices infuse into the butter. After 20 seconds on medium high heat add chopped ginger and garlic. When the colour starts to change add the chopped onion and sliced chilies. When chopped onion turns brown, add turmeric powder and chilli powder. Mis this well for 10 seconds add the tomato paste. 

                                                       

Mix well and add half of the almond paste,

                                      

To this add add the marinated chicken. 

Cook this covered for 15 minutes. Do not add water into this as the chicken will release water.

After 15 minutes, add hot chicken stock, coriander leaves, garam masala and the rest of the almond paste. Mix well and check for salt and pepper. Cook this again covered for another 15 minutes.

Before serving add cream and give it a boil.And VOILA! 

Garnish it with coriander leaves or friend onions.

HAPPY COOKING!