South Indian Chicken Curry

mains chicken curry indian south-indian

Adapted from the South Indian chicken curry recipe at glebekitchen.com. I’ve tweaked the recipe mixing in a few Western techniques to brown more things; if I do it again I’ll probably brown the chicken too to get some of that flavor.

Ingredients

  • South Indian spice mix

  • 1 tbsp coriander seeds

  • 1 inch cinnamon (cassia) bark

  • 1/4 tsp black peppercorns

  • 1 clove

  • 2 green cardamom pods

  • 2 arms star anise (rip 2 arms off the star)

  • 1/2 tsp cumin seed

  • 1/2 tsp poppy seed

  • Pinch ajwain (carom seed)

  • 1-2 whole dried red chilies (I used chile de arbol), seeds removed

  • Onion paste

  • 2 cups onions, coarsely chopped

  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil

  • 1 cup water

  • Curry

  • 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 3 pieces each (about 680 g)

  • 4 tbsp vegetable oil

  • 1 tbsp garlic ginger paste

  • 15–20 fresh curry leaves (optional)

  • 2–3 green chilies, coarsely chopped

  • 5 tsp South Indian spice mix (from above)

  • 1/2 tsp black pepper

  • 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder

  • 1 tsp kosher salt

  • 1 small can tomato paste

  • 1 tsp tamarind paste

  • 1/2 cup coconut milk

Directions

  • South Indian spice mix

  • Start with the coriander, black peppercorns, clove, cardamom pods, cinnamon, and 2 arms of star anise. Toast in a dry skillet until fragrant, then add the cumin seed, poppy seed, ajwain, and chilies. Cool completely and grind to a fine powder.

  • Onion paste

  • Microwave or sauté the chopped onions until soft. Blend with the oil and water until smooth. (Don’t forget the water, like I did the first time)

  • Curry

  • In a small bowl, combine the 5 tsp spice mix with the black pepper, Kashmiri chili powder, and salt.

  • Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat until it shimmers. Add the green chilies and curry leaves and cook about 30 seconds.

  • Add the tomato paste and cook until it starts to darken.

  • Add the garlic ginger paste and cook until the paste is very dark and the ginger and garlic are cooked

  • Lower the heat to medium-low. Add the combined ground spices and stir constantly until fragrant, 30–40 seconds. Do not let them burn.

  • Add the onion paste, raise the heat to medium-high, and cook 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally and covering loosely to control splatter. The mixture will darken and may look dry.

  • Lower the heat to medium-low. Add the chicken and stir. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes. The mixture will darken and start to stick.

  • Stir in the coconut milk and tamarind paste and cook for 20-30 minutes until the chicken is tender and the gravy slightly reduced.

  • Garnish with additional diced green chilies. Serve with rice and parathas.