If you've never tried making your own curry before, this quick-and-easy dish is a great place to start. The ingredients are readily available in most grocery stores. While you can use regular long-grain rice in this recipe, basmati rice has a special aroma and texture that brings out this curry's best.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp. canola or vegetable oil
- 1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1” pieces
- 1 large onion, cut into 1” pieces
- 1 lb. chicken breast or thigh, cut into 1” pieces
- 2-4 cloves garlic (to taste)
- 1/2"-1” ginger, peeled (to taste)
- 2 tbsp. curry powder
- 2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. ground cardamom
- 1 tsp. ground fenugreek
- 1 tsp. cumin
- 1 tsp. cayenne pepper or Tabasco sauce
- 1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes
- Cilantro, chopped
- Mango chutney
Spiced Basmati Rice
- 4 whole cloves
- 3-4 cardamom pods
- 2 tsp. turmeric
- 4-5 whole black peppercorns
- 1 c. basmati rice, rinsed in a strainer until the water runs clear
Make the spiced basmati rice
- Place all ingredients for the spiced basmati rice in a medium saucepan and add 1 ¾ cup water. Cover and bring to a boil. Stir once, reduce heat to the lowest setting, and cover. Cook rice for 13-15 minutes until tender. Fluff rice with a fork and let stand off heat.
Cook the vegetables
- Heat oil in large sauté pan until it begins to shimmer. Add onions and red bell pepper and sauté on high heat until very brown, stirring frequently. The vegetables should look almost burnt.
Make the garlic/ginger paste
- While the vegetables are cooking, mince the garlic and ginger together into a paste. (Note: A mini food processor works perfectly for this.) Add a teaspoon of water and a pinch of salt if the mixture is too chunky. The finer the mince, the stronger the taste, so if you prefer less intense garlic and onion flavors, leave the mixture roughly chopped.
Cook the chicken
- Add the chicken to the vegetables and cook until browned. If the pan is very dry, add another tablespoon of oil. Add the spices to the chicken and vegetable mix and sauté until the spices release their aromas. Add the tomatoes and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 8-10 minutes.
Serve over the hot rice and top with cilantro and chutney as desired.
Tips:
Don’t be afraid to get the vegetable mixture very dark, almost burnt. This gives the dish an authentic Indian taste.
Toasting the spices brings out their flavors. While Indian food is all about the huge variety of spices, if you don’t have all the spices on hand, don’t worry. The curry powder is the main spice and the dish will be fine without the others. Cinnamon adds a subtle sweetness, while the cardamom and fenugreek are common flavors in Indian dishes. The cumin gives the dish a slightly smoky flavor.
You may wish to remove the whole spices from the rice before serving, as they have a very strong flavor if eaten. However, they are edible and some people enjoy the texture they provide.
Mango chutney is the most common type of chutney, but feel free to experiment with different chutneys to give the dish your own unique spin.
Anne Ackerman - Anne Ackerman has 10 years' experience in journalism as a writer and editor. She writes clear, concise summaries of complicated issues.
Join the Conversation