Chicken with Cashew Sauce
Making a curry with a nut paste is a classic style of cooking which came from the Moghuls, centuries ago, but is still very much in vogue in Indian cuisine. Dishes made this way are known as 'Mughlai' and have a very rich, yet delicately flavoured sauce. Serve with plain boiled or steamed basmati rice and some fruity chutney for a memorable meal.
Serves 4
50 g/2 oz/½ cup unsalted cashew nuts
1 large onion, chopped, or 60 ml/ 4 tbsp frozen diced onion
1 garlic clove, crushed, or 5 ml/1 tsp garlic purée (paste)
15 ml/1 tbsp tomato purée (paste)
15 ml/1 tbsp lemon juice
15 ml/1 tbsp cold water
5 ml/1 tsp garam masala
5 ml/1 tsp chilli powder
2.5 ml/½ tsp ground turmeric
2.5 ml/½ tsp salt
400 g/14 oz chicken breast fillets, cut into bite-sized chunks
30 ml/2 tbsp groundnut (peanut) or sunflower oil
225 g/8 oz baby button mushrooms
300 ml/½ pint/1¼ cups very hot (not boiling) chicken stock
45 ml/3 tbsp chopped fresh or thawed frozen coriander (cilantro)
TIP
Make sure you use unsalted cashews.
Saffron-scented Chicken
Saffron is known as the 'royal spice' in India and is used on special occasions. It is very expensive, but a little goes a long way and it adds a beautiful golden colour and aroma to food. A fresh green vegetable such as spinach or green beans will add the finishing touch.
Serves 4
4 skinless chicken breasts
15 ml/1 tbsp groundnut (peanut) or sunflower oil
5 ml/1 tsp fennel seeds
1 onion, chopped, or 45 ml/3 tbsp frozen diced onion
2 garlic cloves, crushed, or 10 ml/2 tsp garlic purée (paste)
60 ml/4 tbsp korma curry paste
A pinch of saffron strands
5 ml/1 tsp honey
250 ml/8 fl oz/1 cup very hot (not boiling) chicken or vegetable stock
2.5 ml/½ tsp cornflour (cornstarch)
30 ml/2 tbsp double (heavy) cream
150 ml/¼ pint/2/3 cup thick plain yoghurt
50 g/2 oz/½ cup toasted flaked (slivered) almonds
Salt, to taste
TIP
You can use turmeric if you don't have saffron but it is not an exact equivalent.
Northern Chicken Curry
Cooking chicken 'on the bone' adds flavour and succulence to this dish. The recipe comes from the Punjab and has all the robust flavours of onions, tomatoes, garlic, ginger and garam masala. Use chicken pieces - drumsticks or chicken thighs are ideal - and remove the skins before cooking to allow the spices to penetrate.
Serves 4
8 chicken drumsticks or thighs or 4 of each
15 ml/1 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
45 ml/3 tbsp groundnut (peanut) or sunflower oil
4 whole cloves
4 green cardamom pods, split
½ cinnamon stick
1 large onion, chopped, or 60 ml/ 4 tbsp frozen diced onion
3 garlic cloves, crushed, or 15 ml/1 tbsp garlic purée (paste)
15 ml/1 tbsp grated fresh or bottled ginger
5 ml/1 tsp chilli powder
5 ml/1 tsp ground turmeric
15 ml/1 tbsp ground coriander
200 g/7 oz/small can chopped tomatoes
450 ml/¾ pint/2 cups very hot (not boiling) chicken or vegetable stock
5 ml/1 tsp garam masala
TIP
Meaning 'warming spice mix', garam masala can be added at the start of cooking, but is more usually stirred in at the end. It contains a mixture of cassia leaf, black pepper, coriander, cumin, chilli, cardamom, cloves, fennel, mace and nutmeg.
Chicken Mangalore
Coconut and chillies are typical ingredients of Mangalorean cuisine. Although food from this region of South India is often hot and fiery, this is a mild to medium curry. A wild variety of spinach grows in abundance here, so Spiced Spinach Rice or a simple side dish of steamed baby spinach leaves makes an excellent accompaniment.
Serves 4
8 chicken drumsticks or thighs, or 4 of each
75 ml/5 tbsp desiccated coconut
30 ml/2 tbsp groundnut (peanut) or sunflower oil
1 onion, chopped, or 60 ml/4 tbsp frozen diced onion
3 garlic cloves, crushed, or 15 ml/1 tbsp garlic purée (paste)
15 ml/1 tbsp grated fresh or bottled ginger
15 ml/1 tbsp coriander seeds
4 whole cloves
1.5 ml/¼ tsp ground cinnamon
1-2 red chillies, seeded and finely chopped, or 5-10 ml/1-2 tsp red chilli purée (paste)
4 tomatoes, roughly chopped
400 ml/14 fl oz/1¾ cups very hot (not boiling) chicken or vegetable stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
TIP
As an alternative, you could serve this with naan bread and steamed spinach.
Chicken with Red Lentils
Dhanzak is a popular dish among the Parsi community where it is often made on Sundays due to the long preparation time. It's traditionally served with brown rice and a cachumbar salad. This is a simplified version and is particularly good made in the slow cooker.
Serves 4
15 ml/1 tbsp groundnut (peanut) or sunflower oil
1 large onion, chopped, or 60 ml/ 4 tbsp frozen diced onion
1 garlic clove, crushed, or 5 ml/1 tsp garlic purée (paste)
1 green chilli, seeded and finely chopped, or 5 ml/1 tsp green chilli purée (paste)
2.5 ml/½ tsp chilli powder
5 ml/1 tsp ground turmeric
5 ml/1 tsp ground coriander
5 ml/1 tsp ground cumin
5 ml/1 tsp soft brown sugar
15 ml/1 tbsp wine vinegar
200 g/7 oz/small can chopped tomatoes
4 skinless chicken breasts, each cut into 3 large pieces
175 g/6 oz/1 cup red lentils
2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 4 cm/1½ in chunks
750 ml/1¼ pints/3 cups very hot (not boiling) chicken or vegetable stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
10 ml/2 tsp garam masala
30 ml/2 tbsp chopped fresh or frozen coriander (cilantro)
VARIATION
For a prawn dhanzak, leave out the chicken and substitute 400 g/14 oz large raw prawns, thawed if frozen and drained in a sieve (strainer), for just the last 45 minutes of cooking time.
Chicken Biryani
This is a lightly spiced chicken and rice dish with golden caramelised onions and the added crunchy texture of cashew nuts. You can buy cashews ready toasted or prepare your own by dry-frying in a non-stick pan over a medium heat for a few minutes.
Serves 4
400 g/14 oz/large can of fried onions in olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed, or 10 ml/2 tsp garlic purée (paste)
30 ml/2 tbsp biryani curry paste
1 litre/1¾ pints/4¼ cups very hot (not boiling) chicken stock
700 g/1½ lb diced chicken breast or 4 chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
300 g/11 oz small florets of fresh or frozen cauliflower
200 g/7 oz/8 tbsp frozen peas
300 g/11 oz/1½ cups easy-cook (converted) rice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
150 g/5 oz/1½ cups unsalted toasted cashew nuts
60 ml/4 tbsp chopped fresh or thawed frozen coriander (cilantro)
TIPS
If you prefer, less expensive unsalted roasted peanuts may be used instead of the cashews.
If you can't find canned fried onions, prepare your own by frying 2 finely sliced onions in 30 ml/2 tbsp light olive oil over a low heat for 12-15 minutes, stirring frequently until lightly browned.
Chicken Jalfrezi
Jalfrezi or jhal frezi means 'dry fry' and so this hottish curry has little sauce. It is cooked for a relatively short time in the slow cooker, so keeps all the fresh flavours of the tomatoes and pepper. For a creamy finish to this dish, stir in some yoghurt at the end of cooking.
Serves 4
45 ml/3 tbsp groundnut (peanut) or sunflower oil
8 skinned boneless chicken thighs, halved
1 large onion, chopped, or 60 ml/4 tbsp frozen diced onion
2 garlic cloves, crushed, or 10 ml/2 tsp garlic purée (paste)
15 ml/1 tbsp grated fresh or bottled ginger
5 ml/1 tsp ground coriander
5 ml/1 tsp ground cumin
5 ml/1 tsp ground turmeric
1.5 ml/¼ tsp ground cinnamon
1.5 ml/¼ tsp ground cloves
150 ml/¼ pint/2/3 cup very hot (not boiling) chicken or vegetable stock
1 green (bell) pepper, halved, seeded and sliced
6 tomatoes, roughly chopped
Salt, to taste
45 ml/3 tbsp chopped fresh or thawed frozen coriander (cilantro)
75 ml/5 tbsp thick plain or Greek-style yoghurt (optional)