ALOO CHICKEN CURRY
ALOO CHICKEN CURRY
NO PRESSURE COOKER NEEDED FOR THIS CHICKEN CURRY RECIPE.
I love making and eating chicken curry and have many recipes on my website. This simple potato and chicken curry can be made in one vessel, doesn’t require a pressure cooker, and is rich and delicious while still being yummy for younger kids or even adults who aren’t super comfortable with “spicy” food.
Find out more about this chicken curry recipe’s secrets >
RECIPE DETAILS
Serves: 4
Prep time: 30 minutes including browning the chicken
Cooking time: 45 minutes.
Dietary Style: Gluten Free
INGREDIENTS
BROWNING THE CHICKEN
- 4 chicken thigh cutlets, skin on and bone in
- 1/3 cup mustard oil
- 1 pinch asafoetida powder
- 1 cassia stick or cinnamon quill
- 3 cloves buds
- 1 tsp fine white sea salt
VEGETABLES
- 2 medium potatoes, cut into small-ish cubes
- 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
THE MASALA
- 1 heaped tsp garlic and ginger paste
- heavy pinch jaggery sugar (replace w/ coconut or rapadura sugars)
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 heavy tsp fine pink salt
- 1/2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- pinch fine white pepper
- 1 heaped tsp ginger powder
- 2 heaped tsp fennel powder
- 2 heaped tsp coriander powder
TO FINISH
- 1 cup water
METHOD
How to make our chicken curry recipe.
STEP 1
In a kadai, broad-based cast iron pot, or broad-based heavy or ceramic pot heat the oil and the spices for the chicken browning on high heat. Once the oil is smoking a little, add the chicken thighs skin down. Brown on high heat without turning excessively until the chicken has a nice crust both sides. This should take 10 minutes.
Once browned, remove the chicken pieces from the oil and set aside
STEP 2
In the same pot and oil on the same high heat, fry the potatoes for five to seven minutes until they are nicely browned. They will crisp a little and should be tender to the bite.
Add the fresh tomato, appreciate the oil sizzle, and stir the tomato for three to four minutes or until they have broken down a little and started to create a rich base with the potato.
STEP 3
At this point we add the rest of the masala. The garlic and ginger paste, turmeric powder, fine pink salt, Kashmiri chilli,fine white pepper, and ginger, fennel and coriander powders. Stir through and cook down for a further two to three minutes on high heat before adding back the browned chicken pieces and turning the heat down to medium.
Add the cup of water and continue to cook on medium heat for a further 30 minutes. If you have the time, continue to cook the chicken for 60 minutes—moving it around occasionally—for an extra browned and smoky result.
LEARN MORE ABOUT
OUR CHICKEN CURRY SECRETS
What if I can’t get chicken thigh cutlets?
You can use cut chicken pieces if they have the skin and bone in. I sometimes buy chicken Maryland pieces and chop them into manageable chunks. You could also use chicken drumettes or drumsticks, though they will carry slightly less flavour.
Do I have to keep the skin and bone on the chicken?
Yes, if you would like the chicken curry to be as tasty as it can be, and for the chicken to remain tender through the cooking process. The skin and the bone doesn’t just add extra flavour, but it helps to protect the chicken protei from drying out.
Where can I buy mustard oil?
Mustard oil is available everywhere in India. Outside of India, mustard oil can be bought at Indian grocers and many South East Asian grocers or supermarkets also.
Do I need to use mustard oil?
Mustard oil is one of the blueprint tastes of this curry, and it will also help to ensure that the masala has the impact we want on the chicken itself. Mustard oil is the kind of oil that enables a protein like chicken to take on extra flavour.
