curry

[shirt]

heres one for you. this in an absolute piece of piss, virtually no prep. work, is 100% repeatable, and a bit different from the norm.

moghlai butter chicken

tsp = teaspoon, tbsp = tablespoon

2 tbsp peanut oil [i use sesame]
1kg chicken thigh fillets, quartered
60g butter or ghee
2tsp garam masala
2tsp sweet paprika
2tsp ground coriander
1tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger
1/4tsp chilli powder
1 cinnamon stick
6 cardomom pods, bruised
350g pureed tomatoes
1tbsp sugar
60g plain yoghurt
125ml cream
1tbsp lemon juice



Fry the chicken thighs in the oil until browned. Remove from pan.

Reduce heat, then add the butter and let it melt. Add the garam masala, paprika, chilli, cinnamon, and cardomom pods. fry for around a minute or until fragrant. Add the chicken and coat in the spices.

Add the tomato & sugar and simmer, stirring, for 15mins or until the chicken is tender and the sauce has thickened.

Add yoghurt, cream, and lemon juice. Simmer for 5mins then serve.



The 1kg chicken is a bit ott imo. i use 1 breast per person but add onion. i never bother with the sugar either and it tastes just as good. if you like a rough texture, use canned tomatoes, but i use passata which makes it smoother and richer.

luvverly

Edited by shirt on Wednesday 23 July 00:11

[eightseventhree]

This thread has convinced me to go out this weekend and get some spices for cooking indian. I have always fallen foul of the stir in sauces.

The only thing i have ever made from scratch is Chicken Tika. But i have been told thats very good!

[smiller]

Never been convinced by butter chicken.

I do enjoy a good Pasanda. Is it similar?

[shirt]

smiller said:

Never been convinced by butter chicken.

I do enjoy a good Pasanda. Is it similar?

pasanda is the one with almonds and coconut right? like a nutty korma? if so then not really no!

butter chicken is qute rich and tomatoey but given a curious dimension with the cardomom, cinnamon and ginger. the lemon also gives it some zing. it could be considered an alternative masala.

the OH wasn't really into curry when i met her but loved the butter chicken if i used mild chilli powder. since then she can eat most things this side of a madras/vindaloo. i like it as its different and can be tailored to suit your pallette, and takes minutes to make from start to finish. v. nice with prawns too!

try it with less chicken than the recipe states and add some thinly sliced onion. mmmm! might have one tomorrow now, especially as i managed to track down ground cardamom. not nice chomping down on a husk

[shirt]

eightseventhree said:

This thread has convinced me to go out this weekend and get some spices for cooking indian. I have always fallen foul of the stir in sauces.

The only thing i have ever made from scratch is Chicken Tika. But i have been told thats very good!

if you have one near you, buy your spices from a chinese/indian supermarket. they come in plastic bags so you need containers, but you get loads more than in the supermarket jars. from an outlay of £10 or so you only really need to buy cream and/or yoghurt. I would always go for fresh ginger over powdered though.

[prand]

Just remembered this website - has an endless supply of real Indian home-cooked food recipes, a forum discussing the cooking of them and great explanations with the recipes. I have found it very useful when trying to find certain recipes I want to try.

http://www.mamtaskitchen.com/index.php

[smiller]

shirt said:

smiller said:

Never been convinced by butter chicken.

I do enjoy a good Pasanda. Is it similar?

pasanda is the one with almonds and coconut right? like a nutty korma? if so then not really no!

butter chicken is qute rich and tomatoey but given a curious dimension with the cardomom, cinnamon and ginger. the lemon also gives it some zing. it could be considered an alternative masala.

the OH wasn't really into curry when i met her but loved the butter chicken if i used mild chilli powder. since then she can eat most things this side of a madras/vindaloo. i like it as its different and can be tailored to suit your pallette, and takes minutes to make from start to finish. v. nice with prawns too!

try it with less chicken than the recipe states and add some thinly sliced onion. mmmm! might have one tomorrow now, especially as i managed to track down ground cardamom. not nice chomping down on a husk

Cheers for that, it sounds interesting (BTW "nutty korma" is a nob on description of pasanda!). The next time I'm at the local curry emporium, I may go for Butter Chicken; I like "curious" curry dishes. I was curious about Achari, and now I love it.

[bazking69]

I have to say that mastering making a curry from scratch that tastes anywhere near as good as it does at your local Curry House is one of the hardest things in cooking IMO.
Indian food is definately something that takes plenty of practice to master.

[Bob the Planner]

TBH I don't want mine to taste like the local takeaway. I find that the traditional recipies are miles better.

[bazking69]

Fair enough, but my point was skilled and experienced Indian chefs. The reason why there are some sublime curry houses about but far to many very very average ones....

[prand]

bazking69 said:

I have to say that mastering making a curry from scratch that tastes anywhere near as good as it does at your local Curry House is one of the hardest things in cooking IMO.
Indian food is definately something that takes plenty of practice to master.

I agree - imagine trying to recreate real tandoori heat in a domestic kitchen (500c+) to make authentic tikka and naan! Attempts of my own in an oven undr half that heat always fail or come out dissapointing. Absolutely fresh ingredients and spices helps too. A lot of people use a 5 year old jar of madras spice which just won't do.

I have similar problems recreating real pizza base - but that's another thread...

[craste]

Rollin said:

Have you tried the lamb curry from Rick Steins food heroes program?

Very nice.

http://www.arax15.dsl.pipex.com/

I printed this off yesterday and then went to a supermarket in Alum Rock, Birmingham
http://www.paksupermarkets.co.uk

And got all the ingredients.

I then spent a couple of hours preparing and making this dish and all I can say is.

WOW

It was the first currey I'd ever made and it was knock out.

It was exactly like the currey you get in a restruant and it made every other currey from a jar I've ever had seem 'st' in comparison, I'm not joking!

Well recommemd you having a go at this - I normally never cook but I really enjoyed getting all the ingredients/ preparing it and finally eating it- what a great Saturday nght it turned out to be.

Thanks for posting this recipe!!!!

Try it - YOU WILL LOVE IT!!!