Punjabi chicken curry
This super-easy, hearty chicken curry layers up earthy spices, including cardamom and turmeric with zingy root ginger and fresh coriander leaves.
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1½ tsp cumin seeds, ground in a pestle and mortar
- 5cm/2in cinnamon stick
- 8 green cardamom pods
- 300²µ/10½´Ç³ú onions, thinly sliced
- 7 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 5cm/2in fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped
- 1½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp mild chilli powder
- 350g/12oz tomatoes, blended to a purée
- 650g/1lb 7oz chicken drumsticks and thighs
- 300ml/10fl oz chicken stock
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves
- salt, to taste
- roti or freshly cooked rice, to serve
Method
Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over a medium heat. Add ½ teaspoon of the ground cumin, the cinnamon stick and cardamom. As they begin to sizzle, add the onions and cook for 15–16 minutes, stirring well and making sure they don’t stick to the pan.
Add the garlic and ginger and fry for 1 minute. Add the turmeric and chilli powder, then stir. Add the blended tomatoes and cook for 5–7 minutes.
Add the chicken and cook for 10 minutes. Stir well, making sure the masala coats the chicken.
Add the stock and salt to taste and simmer over a low heat with the lid on for 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through, stirring halfway through. Turn the heat off and add the remaining cumin, the garam masala and fresh coriander. Serve with roti or rice.