Marry Me Chicken Curry

This is a typical chicken curry Indians eat at home. Taught to me by my mum which I shall pass onto my boys. Traditionally known in Gujarati as ‘Rasa Varu Chicken’. And for the record my husband proposed very romantically in Venice, but I know that this curry totally swayed that decision! I love to serve this with rice or chappatis.

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Ingredients

olive oil 2 tbsp
onion 4 (diced)
chicken thighs 1 kg (chopped)
mixed chillies 1
ginger paste 1 tbsp
garlic paste 1 tbsp
cloves 7
black peppercorns ½ tsp
cardamom pods 7
cinnamon stick ½
bay leaf 2
ground cumin 1 ½ tbsp
ground turmeric 1 tbsp
garam masala 2 tsp
chopped tomatoes 400 g (chopped)
basmati rice 240 g
fresh coriander 1 handful (chopped)
ground coriander 1 ½ tbsp
chilli powder 1 tsp
soy sauce 1 tbsp

Method

Finely chop the onions (you can use red or brown onions) and chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Finely chop the fresh green chilli - I use 1 whole chilli, you can use more or less according to your taste.
Heat the olive oil in a pan over a medium heat and add the peppercorns, cardamom pods, bay leaves and cinnamon stick. Let them sizzle and infuse the oil for a minute.
Add the onions, lower the heat, and cook gently for at least 15-20 minutes until reduced by around 2/3 of their original volume and they are golden brown. Add more oil to the pan if needed.
Add the ginger and garlic paste to the pan with the fresh chilli and stir fry for 2 minutes until soft, but don't let it brown.
Stir in the chilli powder, cumin, ground coriander, turmeric and garam masala. If you can get kashmiri chilli powder then use this instead of chilli powder. If you have them, I like to also add a pinch of dried fenugreek leaves. Mix well then cook the spices for 1 - 2 minutes.
Stir in the chopped tomatoes and season with salt. Mix well, pop a lid on then simmer gently for 7 - 8 minutes, until the oil splits out on the surface of the masala (spice) sauce. If needed, add a splash of water.
Add the chicken making sure it is fully coated in the sauce. Stir in a dash of soy sauce and 150ml water. Cover and simmer on a low heat for at least 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, cook the rice according to the packet instructions. Finely chop the coriander leaves and stalks.
Check the curry for seasoning - if needed you can add an extra pinch of garam masala. Plate up with the rice and scatter the coriander on top. Enjoy!

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Marry Me Chicken Curry

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