Chicken Curry

There really are as many recipes for chicken curry as there are cooks in the kitchen making it. I rarely follow even this recipe to the letter, however I like the techniques offered in this recipe and the cookbook "The Bombay Cafe" by Neela Paniz, holds a special place in my heart.

For a short time, I worked at the renowned delicatessen, Zingerman's, in Ann Arbor, Michigan. One day, I happened to pop into the deli to check on the status of my working visa and one of the owner's of the deli asked me if I knew of a chef named Vikram Vij from Vancouver. Of course, was my immediate reply, and I found out that Vikram happened to be visiting the deli that very day. What a lucky coincidence, as I LOVED his restaurant "Vij's" and was very intrigued by the cooking there. We ended up spending the afternoon together in downtown Ann Arbor and spent quite a long time looking at cookbooks in the original Border's Bookstore. I asked him to help me choose an Indian cookbook and he suggested "The Bombay Cafe" over all the others. I have made several recipes from the book and I like it as much today as the day I bought it!

Check out www.vijs.ca and www.zingermans.com to learn more about both of these incredible spots. Vikram and his wife have a wonderful cookbook out now and they also have a cafe/market in Vancouver called "Rangoli", where people can eat in or buy dishes to take home. Ari Weinzweig, co-founder of Zingerman's, has several books of his own published. "The Guide to Good Eating" is a wealth of information for the world of fine food.

Chicken Curry

2 small yellow onions
5 to 6 cloves garlic
1/2-inch piece ginger, peeled
2 green serrano chiles
2 medium, ripe tomatoes
1/3 c. veg oil
2 black cardamom pods
2-3 (1 inch) pieces cinnamon stick
1 or 2 bay leaves
4 to 5 whole cloves
5 to 6 whole black peppercorns
2 T. ground coriander (see note about roasting spices at home)
2 T. ground cumin (see note about roasting spices at home)
1/4 t. turmeric
1/2 to 1 t. cayenne pepper
1 1/2 t. salt
2 (2 1/2lb.) chickens, cut into 8 pieces each and skinned
Fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish

1. Finely chop the onions in a food processor. Set aside in a separate bowl. Without rinsing the work bowl, mince ginger, garlic, and green chiles together in the food processor and set aside in a separate bowl. Again without rinsing the work bowl, puree the tomatoes and set aside.

2. Heat oil in a large saucepan and add onions. Brown over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until they turn a deep red-brown in colour, about 12 to 14 minutes. Stir in 1 or 2 tablespoons of hot water, as needed, to arrest the browning and to make a paste.

3. Add the ginger, garlic, and chile mixture and saute to a minute or so, adding a little more water if needed to prevent sticking.

4. Add all the whole and ground spices and continue to brown for another 2 to 3 minutes.

5. Add the pureed tomatoes and their juices and cook through until the solids separate from the oil, about 5 to 6 minutes, stirring frequently. This paste is called a "masala".

6. Add the chicken pieces and brown well on medium-high heat, about 5 minutes. Add the salt and about 1/3 c. hot water. Cover and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Add a little more hot water if needed during cooking. The curry should have the consistency of thick gravy.

7. Serve on a warm platter, garnished with chopped cilantro.

* I like to serve my chicken curry with Basmati rice (sometimes I make a rice pulao) and a cucumber raita. I sometimes add baby spinach to my curry for an extra

* I use whatever hot peppers that happen to be on the shelves when I am doing my shopping, usually jalepeno. I have really cut back on the peppers now that the kids eat chicken curry. I still add a bit but I also don't use much cayenne, if any.

* I used to have black cardamom seeds but I haven't seen them in my kitchen for quite a while. I have made the curry without them several times and I don't really notice anything missing. However, I am sure they do add a certain something to the dish so if you can find them at a local Indian food store, be sure to include them in your dish. The green cardamom pods are not a substitute for the black ones.

* I don't necessarily use two whole chickens when I make chicken curry. At my local butcher shop, I have whole chickens cut up and I freeze the breasts for other dishes. I use the thighs and legs in the curry and I freeze the backs and wings for later on when I am making chicken stock.

* Apparently, you can buy onions that are pre-cooked just for dishes like this one. The key is to cook the onions until they are somewhat caramelized without burning them. By purchasing onions that are already to that stage, you save a lot of time and energy. I think they are available at Indian grocery stores.

* There is something magical about roasting your own spices. I have a second coffee grinder that I use only for grinding spices. Once I started roasting whole cumin and coriander seeds, I couldn't believe the difference in taste. Roasting your own spices elevates a simple dish like chicken curry to greatness. I just lightly roast the seeds in a small frying pan over medium-low heat. You will know the seeds are done because they will turn a bit darker and will start to give off a fragrant smell and sometimes even start to smoke. I quickly get them out of the pan and into the grinder. I usually light a candle and have it in the kitchen while I am roasting spices. They have a very strong smell but the taste in your cooking is so worth it! Make sure you roast enough seeds so that you have plenty to use in the recipes that will accompany the curry.

* I try to keep track of the number of whole spices I add to the pot. For example, if I add 4 whole cloves, I want to fish those four cloves out of the pot before I serve it.