Here’s a tidbit: Chicken curry is not just native to Indian cuisine. The thing with curry that’s most interesting is the combination of these wonderful spices: cumin, coriander, turmeric, red pepper, mustard seed and ginger. I don’t think I’d be very good at making this mixture from scratch even if I tried. What I usually do is to buy a curry mixture over at an Indian spice store in order to be authentic on the taste.
There are instant curry mixes that come in sealed packets. While other people prefer to use this one on their curry dishes, I have my qualms about it. That’s because it doesn’t taste authentic and the dish ends up looking too dark yellow, close to that mustard yellow we’re familiar with. Others appear reddish in color with the intense peppery taste which isn’t good for everyone. Buying a curry mix is totally up to your taste. It’s why I chose to go out of my way and look for a spice store to get mine.
I find other versions of this dish falling short of expectations maybe because I demand to taste the coconut cream in the dish and the kick of the spice mixture. Others incorporate their own style and would use alternatives which is the main appetite killer for me.
The best part of the dish isn’t the chicken at all but the spiced gravy. If I don’t like how that tastes, I always give my opinion – something that drives my family crazy. But in this recipe I found my peace of mind. Despite having none of the authentic ingredients I always look for, I’ve been convinced. Fresh ingredients do matter. Give it a try and you’ll see what I mean.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/3 cup golden raisin
- 1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/4 cup plain nonfat yogurt
Description
- Combine the flour, cayenne pepper and salt in a Ziploc bag and add in the chicken, one piece at a time, to coat the pieces really well.
- Take a large skillet and heat up the oil over medium-high heat.
- Add the chicken pieces and cook until well-browned before adding in the curry powder. Give it a good toss to make sure every piece of the chicken is coated in the curry. Then remove from the pan.
- In the same pan you cooked the chicken with, put in the onion and garlic and sauté for about 2 minutes, only adding in more oil if necessary. Then pour in the broth, raisins and tomato paste.
- Next, add the cooked chicken into the mix and let this simmer for a good 8 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.
- Garnish this dish with cilantro and a dollop of yogurt (more if you prefer) and serve with rice but only if desired. Best served hot.