How to Make Indian Chicken Curry

Guide Note

You don't have to be a chef to be able to cook a good curry. This page will walk you through all the steps it takes to make this tasty and traditional Indian entree.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Step 1: Gather Equipment
• Step 2: Gather Ingredients
• Step 3: Make the Curry Paste
• Step 4: Cook the Curry
• Variations
• Conclusion
• References

Curry Tips

1. Curry has a history of variation and experimentation, so try different styles.
2. Some of the spices and other ingredients are a little exotic.
3. Many can be substituted for more easily obtained alternatives.
4. Serving over rice is the most traditional way to eat your curry.
5. Try using lightening the recipe and using your curry as a glaze, rather than a sauce.

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Introduction

• 

  (Creative Commons photo by Alpha)
  In Britain, 'curry' is usually indicative of any spicy dish, be it vegetable or meat based. British colonialists imported tea from China, altering it to suit their tastes—the use of milk for instance—and they did the same with curry sauce.^{1 2} For example, Chicken Tikka Masala, is said to be invented by a Bengali chef working in a Scottish restaurant.³

• But regardless of the historical specifics, the fact is that everyone likes a good curry. This page will walk you through the steps to make one of the most popular forms of curry dishes, Indian Chicken Curry.⁴

Step 1: Gather Equipment

• - A small mixing bowl
• - Large frying pan
• - A knife
• - Cutting board
• - A whisk or a spoon

Step 2: Gather Ingredients

• - 2 skinless chicken breasts
• - 1/2 pint of chicken stock
  • You can purchase the chicken stock or make your own!
• - 3 tbsp of olive or sesame seed oil
  • You can also use clarified butter instead, since it has a high-smoke point, which is good for sauteing onions.⁵
• - 1 1/2 tbsp of yogurt or unsweetened coconut cream.
• - 1 small onion, finely chopped
• - 1 garlic clove, minced
• - 1 freshly chopped chili (or 3/4 of a teaspoon of chili powder)
• - 1 teaspoon of cumin powder
• - 1 teaspoon of paprika
• - 4 pods of cardamom
• - Ginger root, finely grated
• - Chopped coriander
  • Cilantro leaves are an acceptable substitute

• NOTE: The ingredients serve approximately 3-4 people. For different amounts, alter the ingredients proportionately.

Step 3: Make the Curry Paste

1. 

   (Creative Commons photo by Photo_Mind)
   Add the following spices into your small mixing bowl:
   1. Cumin
   2. Coriander
   3. Fresh chili (or chili powder)
   4. Cardamom
   5. Paprika
2. Add a little bit of water to the bowl.
3. Evenly mix the ingredients until they form a fine, even paste.⁶
   • - Add more water if the mixture is too lumpy, but be careful to add it in gradually.

Step 4: Cook the Curry

1. Add the oil (or butter) to a large frying pan and place it over medium heat.
2. Add the minced garlic and chopped onions.
3. Saute until the onion is transparent and lightly browned.
4. Pour the chicken stock into the pan.
5. Add the curry paste and stir.
6. Cook until the texture has grown more dense (about 5 minutes).
7. Add the diced chicken breast, making sure to coat it with the curry mixture.
8. Pour in the coconut cream and stir to mix everything evenly.
9. Reduce the heat and cook for approx. 45 minutes.

Variations

• Curry varies from region to region, and there are all sorts of variations on the theme.⁶ From different curry powders to fruit ingredients, check out some of these inventive alternate recipes:

1. 

   (Creative Commons photo by Kim S)
   Use a Madras curry base⁶ and include sweet potatoes and cauliflower with the chicken to make a hearty, one-dish meal.⁷
2. Use the traditional flavor of curry sauce, but use it as a tangy dressing rather than a heavy sauce. Toss it with diced chicken, apples and raisins to make a chicken curry salad.⁸
3. Blend the base for a curry sauce, blend with pineapple to make a sweet, spicy mixture. Glaze it onto brochettes of salmon and serve with basmati rice.⁹
4. Eat your curry on the go by sides of a chicken breast in oil infused with your curry powder. Make a cooking both deli-style curry chicken sandwich by coating a sliced croissant with your choice of various chutney.¹⁰

Conclusion

• Now you have a way to prepare a popular Indian dish without having to worry about lengthy preparations or hard-to-find ingredients. For an extra traditional touch, try serving your curry with basmati rice, popodoms or hot chapatis.¹¹

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References for How to Make Indian Chicken Curry

1. ↑ Sosro.com: Sejarah Teh
2. ↑ Surrey County Council: History of Curry
3. ↑ BBC News: E-CYCLOPEDIA | Chicken tikka masala: Spice and easy does it (April 20, 2001)
4. ↑ About.com: Indian Food - Top 10 Most Popular Chicken Dishes
5. ↑ Joy of Baking: Clarified Butter
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2} Waitrose.com: Glossary Term - Curry paste
7. ↑ Slashfood: Curry chicken with sweet potatoes and cauliflower
8. ↑ Elise.com: Chicken curry salad
9. ↑ Epicurean.com: Brochettes of Smoked Salmon with Sweet Onions, Pineapple, and Curry Glaze
10. ↑ Allrecipes: Chicken curry croissants
11. ↑ Rice Association: Basmati Rice

Additional Indian Chicken Curry Recipes

• All recipes.com: Indian Chicken Curry II
• Chicken curry recipes: Curry recipes ideas
• Epicurious.com: Indian style chicken
• Indian Food Forever: Chicken curry recipe