There’s always a reason why people start cooking. I started because I love rice and curry. The best rice and Curry I have ever eaten is Aunty Anne’s (my childhood friend’s mom’s) rice and curry.
It’s perfectly spicy and full of flavor. It’s so good that I personally consider it a treat rather than a ‘simple’ (As my friend terms it) lunch. And she’s the one who taught me how to make a chicken curry.
Chicken Curry
Ingredients:
650 Grams of Chicken (You can choose the breast portion and get it cut in to pieces – its best to start with few medium size pieces)
1 Large onion
Handful of spring onions (around 10) including its zesty leaves
2 green chilies.jpg)
2 cloves of garlic
½ Teaspoon of ginger (grated)
Curry leaves (6-7 leaves)
Few thick pieces of a pandan (Rampe) leaf
Lime
1 teaspoon of dil seeds
Oil
Coconut milk
Water
Chili pieces
Chili powder (Roasted or Unroasted)
Curry powder (Roasted- personal preference)
Cinnamon powder
Pepper
Rock salt
Directions:
Squeeze lime juice over the chicken and leave to marinade. (I also prefer to add a pinch of turmeric, unroasted chili powder and roasted curry powder as well.)
Add water to some salt pieces to create a solid salt water mix (I use an old jam bottle to store it).
Wash, clean and finely dice the onion, spring onion, garlic and green chilies (I cut the green chilies a little bit thicker).
Heat some oil (slightly less than a tea spoon) with the dil seeds. Then add the chili pieces (tea spoon or more), pandan, curry leaves, chopped onion, spring onion, garlic and grated ginger and sauté.
Add the chicken to it with a little pepper and a pinch of cinnamon and stir it up. Then add chili (roasted) powder and mix it again.
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Pour the salt water mix over the chicken pieces (leaving them afloat), close the lid and let it boil.
Once the salt water has evaporated, add the curry powder and stir.
Add water (little less than a cup), close the lid and let it cook.
Once the water has evaporated, add the coconut milk (I use Maggie milk powder), stir and let it cook for a couple of minutes before leaving it to simmer.
Disasters ,Warnings, and Tips
The first time I made this it was an utter failure (you have to follow the process and be patient until salt water mix and water evaporates). No one in my house has an appreciation for supposedly-cooked-but-raw-tasting chicken.
You can use tomatoes for the sauté (most people do and like) I however don’t want to, Nothing regarding the taste, just a personal vendetta regarding tomatoes in curry.
Try not to use a very high flame when making this the first time.
There’s a difference between roasted and unroasted chili powder. For a darker colour and heat, roasted is better; while the unroasted is milder in taste and lighter in texture.
Ensure that none of the meat is drowning in the salt water mix. You don’t want an Iodine overdose.
Do not add too much water either, that would over boil the chicken.
Ensure the water has dispersed fully before adding the coconut milk or you’ll have the waterish taste in your chicken.
Eavesdrop on your food while the lid is closed. It can burn.
Roasted curry powder has more of a punch but excess can make your curry look black.
It really depends on personal taste; I prefer my chicken curry fiery and zesty. So I add little extra chili and roasted curry powder.
Feel free to experiment with spices (except salt).
By Shazzana Hamid
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