My Indian friends tell me that this is more of a Lahori-style curry than something you'd find in the middle or South of India (Lohore is an ancient city, now located in Pakistan). It's a bit more "rustic", with roughly chopped chicken still on the bone and large chunks of potatoe in it. Its a very simple curry, with a short list of ingredients so its a good introduction to making your own curry. Make sure to use the whole spices here - it makes a huge difference.
INGREDIENTS
One 4 lb chicken, cut into 8 to 10 pieces and skinned
3 medium red boiling potatoes, peeled and quartered
¾ tsp turmeric
½ tsp cayenne pepper
Salt
1½ medium onions, roughly diced
5 garlic cloves
2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut in half crosswise
3 tbsp canola oil
1-inch piece cinnamon stick
12 green cardamom pods
9 whole cloves
10 black peppercorns
3 whole dried red chiles
1 tsp coriander seeds
½ tsp cumin seeds
1 fresh hot green chile, cut in half
2 large tomatoes, chopped
2 tbsp tomato paste
frac14; cup plain yogurt, whisked until smooth
1 cup water
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Juice of 1 lemon
PREPARATION
- Combine the chicken, potatoes, 1/2 teaspoon of the turmeric, 1/4 teaspoon of the cayenne, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a bowl and stir to coat the chicken and potato with the spices. Let stand while you make the sauce.
- Finely mince the onions, garlic, and ginger in a food processor and set aside.
- Combine 2 tablespoons of the oil, the cinnamon stick, cardamom, cloves, black peppercorns, red chiles, coriander, and cumin in a large casserole over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring, until the cinnamon unfurls, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the minced onion mixture, the green chile, and 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, until the vegetables brown around the edges, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Remove the cinnamon and green chile, and stir in the remaining 1/4 teaspoon turmeric and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne. Add the tomatoes and tomato paste and cook, stirring, 5 minutes. Transfer to a food processor or blender and purée until smooth; set aside.
- Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the same pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and potatoes and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add the yogurt, 1 tablespoon at a time, and stir well after each addition. Cook, stirring, 2 minutes, to evaporate some of the moisture.
- Add the puréed tomato mixture and bring to a boil. Stir in the water. Return to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes. Stir every 5 to 8 minutes and scrape the bottom of the pan to keep the sauce from sticking. Then uncover and cook 5 more minutes to reduce and thicken. Stir in the cilantro and lemon juice. Taste for salt and serve hot.
