As with pretty much everything I cook, this is an adapted recipe. The original is from an old Matty Hayden cookbook, but I have changed a few bits.
It may put you off to make your own curry powder, but I PROMISE, it is well worth it.
I add two chillies to this brew, as I like my curry hot. I’ll leave that bit up to you…
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
2 teaspoons curry powder (see below)
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
Pinch ground cardamom
Pinch ground cloves
1 onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
3 curry leaves (or bay leaves if you have none)
1 bashed stalk of lemon grass, white part only
2 large red chillies, deseeded & finely chopped (depending on how hot you like it)
2 tomatoes, diced
2 cinnamon sticks
600g chicken thigh fillets
1 tin of coconut cream milk
Steamed rice, raita and naan bread to serve
Directions:
Combine the coriander, paprika, curry powder, salt, chilli powder, turmeric, cloves and cardamom. Rub all over meat, cover the meat with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
Heat oil in a large saucepan, and cook onion until soft and brown. Add the garlic, ginger, curry leaves, lemon grass, chilli, tomato and cinnamon sticks and cook over low heat for 3 minutes, stirring regularly.
Add chicken, cover and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the coconut cream, bring slowly to the boil and low simmer for 20 minutes. Not too high, or the milk will separate.
Take out the cinnamon sticks, lemon grass and curry leaves before serving.
Serve with rice and other yummies.
Curry Powder
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons coriander seeds
3 tablespoons cumin seeds
1½ tablespoons sweet cumin seeds (fennel seeds)
1 cinnamon stick
10 dried curry leaves
10 cardamom pods
10 cloves
½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
½ teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
1 tablespoon rice, washed and drained
1 tablespoon dedicated coconut
¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
Method:
To make curry powder, place all ingredients in sequence into a dry frying pan over medium heat. Cook stirring, until well browned and fragrant, but take care not to burn. Leave to cool, then grind to a fine powder. Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to a year.
It is so worth the effort of making your own curry powder, you can taste the difference.
Enjoy, Love Me (Channelling Haydo’s)
