Chicken Masala Curry

This Chicken Masala Curry may not be exactly what you might expect with a BIR Curry, it's better.  No previously made base curry sauce here.  It's cooked from scratch with fresh ingredients and is one of the best Curries we've had in a long time.  Plus it's gets better and better each day.  Make a few batches of this in advance if you want, it freezes well to.  What more could you want?

But you'll have to try it for yourself to find out just how good it is.

Curries, whichever Country they originate from, are loved in this house.  Whether it's just the two of us or we have guests, we just love em, how about you?

This is a Masala Chicken Curry due to the spice mixture used.  I always roast and grind my own spices, then store in small quantities in little individual spice jars.  That way, there is always a fresh supply on hand.

Ready for the most amazing home cooked Curry?  Then simply follow the recipe below.

Chicken Masala Curry (Serves 2-3)

* You can add more, but you can’t take away!!

Ingredients:-

200g Chicken Breast (chopped into chunks)

2 tablespoon Oil

1 x Onion (finely hopped)

2 x small Green Chilli (seeds removed and finely chopped)

1 teaspoon Ginger-Garlic Paste

2 x Roma Tomato, or 1 x large tom (skin/s removed and chopped)

3 tablespoon Natural Yoghurt

1 x Bay leaf

¼ teaspoon hot Red Chili Powder (or more depending how hot yours is *)

1 teaspoon Coriander Powder

½ teaspoon Turmeric Powder

½ teaspoon Garam Masala Powder

1 teaspoon Tandoori Paste (homemade or store bought)

Salt and ground black pepper to taste *

250ml Chicken stock

125ml approx, Water (to adjust consistency of gravy to your requirements if necessary)

2 tablespoon chopped Cilantro (optional to garnish)

Marinade:-

¼  teaspoon Red Chili Powder

½ teaspoon Turmeric Powder

1 teaspoon Ginger-Garlic Paste

1 tablespoon Lemon Juice

½ teaspoon Salt

* You can add more, but you can’t take away!!

Put all marinade ingredients into a bowl, mix well to combine.  Add  Chicken pieces, stir well to coat all the chicken pieces.  Put to one side and marinade minimum 30 minutes (if time allows, marinade in fridge overnight).

Heat oil in a heavy pan (wok or Karahi) add onion and fry for 1 minute, add ginger-garlic paste and chopped green chili, mix well and continue frying until onion becomes transparent.

Add all the spice powders, tandoori paste and Bay leaf, stir well and cook for 5 minutes on medium heat.  Now add tomato, yoghurt and salt/pepper, stir and cook until tomato becomes tender and oil comes to top.

Add marinated chicken and give good stir, cook for 5-7 minutes on a medium low heat.  Add the Chicken stock and cook until chicken becomes tender and cooked, stir in intervals.  If required add more some/all of the water.

Taste and adjust salt/spices if required.  Remove/discard bay leaf and Serve immediately with rice/side dishes of your choice.

Spicy Mango Chutney

Tongue Dancing Chutney

Nothing better than that eh?

Being an Indian food lover it's par for the course to also enjoy all the related pickles & relishes etc; especially Mango Chutney.  A Chutney I had always store bought until early last year when I realised I always complained there were too many lumps of Mango and not enough sauce/juice so decided to started experimenting until I came up with a recipe I was happy with.

Juicy, full of flavour and spicy too, can't get better than that can it?

Be prepared for your tongue to dance with delight once you've tried it.  Not only fab with a pickle try or additional condiment to curries, but amazing with cheese & biscuits and cold meat platters too.

So not only is this very versatile, it's cheaper than store bought and seems to last forever in the fridge too. Also makes a beautiful foodie gift when presented in a pretty jar.

Enjoy and please do let me have your thoughts if you make it too.

Spicy Mango Chutney

2 Ripe fresh mango (peeled and cut into small cubes)

250ml White wine vinegar

800gms White granulated sugar

2 tsps Ground ginger

2 tsps Garlic powder

2 tsps hot chilli powder (more or less to taste see tip below)

2 tsps Sea salt

6 Cardamon pods (seeds only)

1/2 tsp Black pepper corns

1/2 tsp Whole cloves

Mix a small amount of the vinegar (approx 1 tablespoon) with the ginger, garlic and chilli powder to make a paste.

Place the remaining vinegar in a heavy pan.  Add the sugar and bring to the boil, continue to boil until the sugar has completely dissolved.

Grind the peppercorns and cloves and add to the pan with the salt, cardamon seeds and the paste.  Mix well and the mango cubes.

Reduce the heat and cook uncovered until the mango is soft.  Break up some of the cubes to avoid a very lumpy chutney and continue to cook until thickened.

Leave to cool slightly and pour into clean jars.  Keep refrigerated.

Tip once made this will be very spicy but mellows slightly on standing.  (best made a day before consuming)

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