Spicy Chicken Curry

Oh my goodness it is cold! I hate to admit it but coping with the cold is proving to be quite the challenge & we are not even in Winter yet. The struggle is real! I thought I'd cook up something that was sure to warm me up pretty quickly; a dish that's flavourful and authentic. It's time to indulge in satisfying soups and curries, have I got you in the mood for a little spice yet? Spicy foods used to make up most of my meals but unfortunately I've had to cut down on the spice due to my Irritable bowel syndrome, gutted indeed. I think we can all agree that curry is one of the greats, the chicken is tender and juicy leaving the kitchen smelling divine.

Preparation time:  10 minutes                                                         Cooking time: 40 minutes

What you need:

Chicken breast 2 lbs, cut
2 tbsp vegetable oil
Water, 2 cups 
4 cloves
small cinnamon stick
Half tsp cumin
2 Green and 2 black Cardamom
2 slit green chilli
Peppercorns – 1/4 tsp
3 Onions, chopped
2 cans of Crushed Tomatoes
1 tbsp, chopped garlic
1 tbsp, chopped ginger
Salt 
1 tbsp Red Chili Powder 
Half tsp Turmeric Powder 
1 tsp Garam Masala 
Corriander Powder – 1.5 tsp
Cilantro, for garnish, finely chopped

Method:

1. Wash up Chicken breasts and drain the excess water well.
2. Heat a pan on medium heat. Once hot, add in the Oil.
3. Add in Cloves, Bay leaves and Green Cardamom. Fry for about 30 seconds and then add in the Onions.
4. Add a little salt to expedite the cooking process. Mix well. Cook for 3-5 minutes and add in the Ginger, Garlic and Green Chilis.
5. Stir frequently. Allow the Onions to brown but not burn. Add in the crushed tomatoes and cook until the oil starts separating from the mixture. Blend the Masala into a smooth paste and set aside for 2 minutes.
6. Heat the pan again and add mixture back in. Once the Oil is hot, add in the Cinnamon Stick and the Black Cardamom. Cook for 30 seconds and add in Turmeric Powder.
7. Mix and add in the Masala Paste. Add Red Chili Powder, Coriander powder and Cumin Powder. Add a little bit of water to avoid the Powders burning and to help them mix in the Masala well.
8. Once well mixed, add in the Chicken and allow it to seal. After the chicken has turned white, add in the desired amount of water.
9. Mix well and add Salt. Mix again. Cover and cook till ready, stirring frequently in between.
10. Garnish with Cilantro and a sprinkle of lemon juice. Serve.

Until next time.

Nokhuthula xo