South Indian Chicken Curry

Introduction:

This are the steps I follow to cook my default chicken curry. I learned it from my friend Yogesh who comes from Chennai and would make great curries. I use it mostly for chicken curries, but could be used for other protein or even just vegetables.

• Prep time: 5-20 min
• Cooking time: 25-60 min
• Total time: 30-90 min

Ingredients:

• Oil
• Mustard Seeds / Coriander Seeds
• Curry leaves (if available)
• Onions, sliced or chopped
• Garlic, sliced or chopped
• Ground black pepper
• Garam Masala / Ground spices (Cumin, Cinnamon, Cloves, cardamon in a 2/1/1/1 ratio respectively)
• Tomatoes diced (canned is ok)
• Ground Coriander (a decent amount, like half a cup, or compared to the other ground spices, a ratio of 4)
• Chicken thighs and legs (white meat will make it drier and less flavorful)
• Any kind of vegetables you want in your curry (cauliflower, potato, sweet potato, spinach, eggplant, whatever)
• Coconut Milk / Cream
• Lemon or Tamarind juice (1-2 tablespoons)

Steps

1. Heat a pan/pot with the oil on medium heat, toast the mustard/coriander seeds until the mustard seeds pop or the coriander seeds have browned a bit, about 30 seconds
2. Add the curry leaves and stir for around 10 seconds
3. Add the onions, cooking until they are transparent, around 2-4 mins
4. Add the garlic, cook until fragrant, around 30 seconds
5. Add the ground black pepper, and garam masala or ground spices and cook for around 1 min
6. Add the tomatoes and ground coriander. Turn up heat until its bubbling then turn back down to a simmer

7. This is the masala, cook this until the oil pools on the sides, or if you part the sauce by drawing a line in the pan it takes time for the sauce to cover the line again. Could be 5-15 mins. You can shorten this if you want but its best to cook this part well.

   To learn more about the masala and when its ready, see this stack exchange thread.

8. Add whatever vegetables you want in your curry and cook for a few minutes.
9. Add the chicken, coconut milk and lemon juice
10. Bring curry to bubbling again and then lower heat to a simmer. Cook until until you feel it is done, at least 20 mins, could be up to an hour. The longer you cook it, the darker the curry will turn as the coconut milk darkens.

For the chicken, you could also brown it first and remove before starting the masala.