West: bombay style chicken curry in delicate

4 Servings

Ingredients

QuantityIngredient
Stephen Ceideburg
1teaspoonCumin seed
6Whole cloves
8Black peppercorns
1One-inch piece cinnamon stick
5Green cardamom pods,husked
3tablespoonsLight vegetable oil
1largeOnion, finely chopped
3Garlic cloves, minced
1tablespoonPeeled and grated fresh ginger
cupSkinned, chopped tomato
3poundsChicken, skinned, cut into serving pieces
½cupPlain yogurt
1cupWater
½teaspoonCayenne pepper
teaspoonSalt, or to taste
1cupHalf-and-half
2tablespoonsChopped cilantro
1Red onion, peeled, sliced
1Red or green bell pepper, cored and sliced
1Lemon, cut into wedges

Directions

GARNISHES:

Every state has its own style of cooking chicken. This dish, which is cooked in a fragrant cream sauce, is popular in Maharashtra, Bombay.

Combine cumin, cloves, pepper corns, cinnamon and cardamom seeds in an electric coffee mill and grind until reduced to a powder. Set aside.

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic and ginger. Cook until onion is lightly browned, about 4 minutes,

Add ground spice mixture and cook until fragrant, about I minute. Add tomato and chicken. Cook, stirring, until chicken pieces are no longer pink.

Add yogurt and turn chicken pieces to coat. Add water, cayenne and salt.

Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook for 20 minutes.

Stir in half-and-half; simmer until chicken is tender and sauce is thick, about 10 minutes.

Skim off excess fat.

Arrange chicken on a heated, deep serving dish and pour sauce over.

Garnish with cilantro.

Surround with onions, peppers and lemon wedges.

PER SERVING: 365 calories, 36 g protein, 18 g carbohydrate, 17 g fat ( 6 g saturated), 119 mg cholesterol, 959 mg sodium, 3 g fiber.

Laxmi Hiremath writing in the San Francisco Chronicle, 6/24/92.