Anjum Anand’s Punjabi Chicken Curry

Punjabi Chicken Curry

This chicken curry is soul food for the Punjabis. It is neither sweet nor thick nor too spicy, but a harmony of our flavours that only complement rather than overpower the chicken. This is the chicken recipe that most of my friends have asked for. As with all Indian food, I must say that the tomatoes have to be the cheap variety, not plum or vine, and the onions must be well browned. As it is a Punjabi dish, it has an array of whole spices as well as a final hit of the aroma of garam masala added at the end. The fresh coriander should be added for flavour and not just for garnish. The secret to any well-cooked curry is the cooking of the masala – slowly and over time is the best way, so be a little patient as it is worth the effort.

Eat with chapatti or roti or a pilaff.

Serves 6

15g fresh ginger, peeled and cut into large pieces
10 large cloves of garlic, peeled
4 small black cardamom pods
4 cloves
5cm piece of cinnamon stick
5 tbsp vegetable oil
1 bay leaf
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
2 green chillies, whole but pricked with the tip of a knife
750g chicken joints, skinned
5 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
¾ tsp red chilli powder
½ tsp turmeric
1 ½ tsp garam masala
salt, to taste
3 medium tomatoes, cut into small wedges large handful of fresh coriander, chopped

Method

Using blender, make a fine paste of the ginger and garlic with a little water. Set aside.

Place the black cardamom pods in a mortar, give them a bash with the pestle, then remove the husks to leave only the seeds. Add the cloves and cinnamon and grind to a powder.

Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Add the bay leaf and onion and cook until brown, around 8–10 minutes.

Add the green chillies and ginger and garlic paste and cook until just golden, around 2–4 minutes.

Add the chicken and brown gently, over a moderate heat. Stir in the spices and salt and give the pan a good stir.

Add the tomatoes and enough water to come 2.5cm up the pan. Bring to the boil, then cover and cook over a low heat for 15 minutes.

Uncover the pan, increase the heat to high and brown the masala. This will add a lot of depth to the flavour. Toss and turn the chicken in the reducing paste. Once the water has reduced, lower the heat and continue for another few minutes – the masala should release some droplets of oil. Then add enough hot water to the pan to come more than
halfway up the chicken joints, bring to the boil, stir in the fresh coriander and serve.

Anjum Anand

http://www.anjumanand.co.uk/