History: This is a recipe from
the South of India - Chennai, to be exact. Chicken Curry,
called Chicken Vindaloo by some quarters, is a very precise
dish, and not the basic stuff floating around Western
restaurants at the moment. This one is a recipe that has been
passed down for three generations now, and we always feast on
it at home. I hope you enjoy this one!
Description: Classic
interpretation of the ancient Indian recipe
Preparation time: One Hour
Serves: 4
Amount/Measure/Ingredient:
2 teaspoons whole cumin seeds;
2-3 hot, dried red chilies;
1 teaspoon cardamom seeds;
A 2 cm (3") stick of cinnamon;
1.5 teaspoons whole black mustard seeds;
5 tablespoons white wine vinegar;
1.5 teaspoons salt;
1 teaspoon light brown sugar;
10 tablespoons vegetable oil;
190 g (6.5 oz) onions, peeled and sliced;
5 tablespoons plus 225 ml (8 fl oz) water;
900 g (2 lb) boneless chicken cut into small chunks;
A 2.5 cm (1") cube of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped;
A small, whole head of garlic, separated & peeled;
1 tablespoon ground coriander seeds;
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric.
Preparation:
Grind cumin seeds, red chilies, peppercorns,
cardamom seeds, cinnamon
and black mustard seeds in a grinder. Put the ground
spices in a bowl.
Add the vinegar, salt and sugar. Mix and set aside.
Heat the oil in a wide, heavy pot over a medium flame.
Put in the onions.
Fry, stirring frequently, until the onions turn brown and
crisp.
Remove the onions with a slotted spoon and put them into the
container of an electric blender or food processor.
(Turn the heat off).
Add 2-3 table-spoons oof water to the blender and puree the
onions. Add this puree to the ground spices in the
bowl. (This is the vindaloo paste. It may be made
ahead of time and frozen.)
Dry off the chicken chunks with a paper towel and remove large
pieces of fat, if any.
Put the ginger and garlic into the container of an electric
blender or food processor. Add 2-3 tablespoons of water
and blend until you have a smooth paste.
Heat the oil remaining in the pot once again over a
medium-high flame. When hot, put in the chicken chunks, a few
at a time, and brown them lightly on all sides. Remove
each batch with a slotted spoon and keep in a bowl.
When all the chicken has been removed from the pot put the
ginger-garlic paste in the same pot. Turn down the heat
to medium. Stir the paste for another few seconds.
Add the coriander and turmeric. Stir for another few
seconds.
Add the chicken, any juices that may have accumulated as well
as
the vindaloo paste and 225 ml (8 fl oz) water. Bring to
a boil. Cover and simmer gently for an hour or so, until
the chicken is tender.
Serve this hot with basmati rice, or plain boiled rice. Top
with fresh coriander for a nice touch!
