The Basics Of Indian Curry

The Indian Diaspora has brought with it recipes from the South Asian sub-continent to many parts of the world. Amongst the most popular is chicken curry and this dish has become one of the most popular meals from all over the world.

Because of the travels of many Indian migrants, cooking chicken curry becomes more of a local fare as ingredients native to the area where the immigrants settle are integrated into the dish. Nowadays, there are pre-mixed spices in a packet that can then be cooked for a seemingly authentic Indian meal. Others though choose to go to an authentic Indian restaurant wherever they are situated, be it in Europe or in Asia.

Some others though choose to cook an authentic Indian meal right in their own home. This would provide not only a taste of home cooking but also a glimpse of the native country, wherever they may be. The most common recipe done to take you on this trip home is the Chicken Curry Recipe from the Indian State of Kerala. Here are the ingredients for this home away from home dish.

a) Chicken, about two pounds, washed and cut into bite sized pieces;

b) Fresh green and/or red bell peppers or green peas, about a quarter of a cup;

c) One carrot, medium sized, cut into thin strips or julienned;

d) Potatoes, seven (7) small ones, boiled and peeled;

e) Onions, about two whole onions, chopped;

f) Ginger, about an inch and a half long, grated;

g) Garlic, about six cloves, chopped;

h) Green chilies, about three medium sized ones;

i) Coconut milk, about a cup and a half;

j) Spices:

One piece of cinnamon;

Two pieces of Bay leaves;

Two cloves;

One tablespoon of black peppercorns;

One fourth teaspoon of Garam masala powder;

One half teaspoon of mustard seeds;

Two tablespoons of Ghee powder;

Two tablespoons of cooking oil;

Salt to taste.

Cooking this dish is quite easy. The following are the steps in cooking the chicken curry, Kerala style:

1.Firstly, grind the ginger, peppercorns, turmeric powder, onions and green chilies into a coarse paste;

2.Heat the cooking oil and then add the ghee in a large pan. Once properly heated, add the mustard seeds. When the seeds are cooked or have popped, then add the cinnamon, bay leaves and cloves into the mixture. When the mixture turns brown, add the garlic and the curry leaves to it.

3.When the paste is brown, add the onion, ginger and chili paste to fry them. Then add the chicken and then fry them all in the mixture. Once they have all turned golden brown, add the potatoes, carrots, garam masala and salt.

4.Allow to cook the ingredients for five minutes in low flame, mixing them occasionally;

5.After the said time, pour in the coconut milk and the green peas. Cover the whole pan and wait until it boils. The way to check if all is cooked is if the carrots and the potatoes are soft. Add salt to taste.

As can be seen, cooking an authentic chicken curry is very easy. There may be some ingredients that may be hard to find, such as the ghee and the garam masala. Do look for them in you local Indian store or replace them with some other local ingredient, often sorghum for the ghee and chili paste for the garam masala. From there, the flavor and the aroma of home will permeate your home, as it was when you were growing up.