Curry Recipe Academy - Chicken Madras (one pan, without base gravy)

Ingredients

• 300 g chicken thigh, cut into pieces — Original: 300 g pre-cooked lamb with cooking juices
• 1 medium onion, very finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 piece fresh ginger, 2.5 cm, finely chopped
• 2 green chilies, finely chopped
• 0.25 lemon wedge, juice
• A handful fresh coriander, for garnish
• 3 green cardamom pods, opened
• A pinch fennel seeds
• 0.5 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 cloves
• 0.33 tsp turmeric
• 0.5 tsp ground coriander, preferably freshly ground
• 0.5 tsp ground cumin, preferably freshly ground
• 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder, heaping teaspoon
• 0.5 tsp salt
• A generous pinch fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi), crushed
• 2 tbsp rapeseed oil (about 30 g, a chef’s spoon)
• 1 tsp tomato paste, generous teaspoon, 100% tomato (Cirio or Mutti) — regular 100% tomato paste, not homemade tomato puree
• 150 ml hot water; about 1.5 tbsp for the paste, a splash for cooking the chicken, around 1/3 cup for the sauce

Method

1. Whole spices: Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Add cumin seeds, fennel seeds, the opened cardamom pods, and cloves, and let them infuse the oil for 30-40 seconds.
2. Brown the onion: Add the very finely chopped onion and cook until soft and lightly browned. Do not let it get dark brown.
3. Garlic and ginger: Add the garlic and ginger, cooking until the raw smell disappears.
4. Cook out the tomato paste: Add the tomato paste and mix it through the onion using the back of your spoon. Cook it thoroughly until the color changes from bright red to dark red and the aroma changes. Do not add any liquid yet, or the curry will turn too sour.
5. Ground spices: Add turmeric, ground coriander, cumin, and Kashmiri chili powder. Dry fry for a moment until fragrant, then add about 1.5 tbsp hot water to form a nice paste and stir in the salt.
6. Cook the chicken: Add the chicken pieces and coat well in the spice paste. Add a splash of hot water, cover with a lid, and cook over medium heat until the chicken is nearly done. Stir occasionally and add more water if needed to prevent sticking.
7. Add green chilies: Add the green chilies now to keep their fresh flavor. Increase the heat and let the sauce thicken for 3-4 minutes.
8. Adjust sauce consistency: Add about 1/3 cup hot water until the sauce reaches the desired thickness. If it’s too thin, simmer to reduce it.
9. Lemon and methi: Squeeze a little lemon juice over the curry (avoid seeds, and not too much). Sprinkle a generous pinch of crushed kasoori methi over the pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes until oil rises on top.
10. Garnish: Check that the chicken is fully cooked and garnish with fresh coriander.