This northern Indian curry uses your typical Indian pickle spices which give it a really enhanced flavour and a great tanginess which I love in a curry. You won't find this curry in a jar at your local supermarket! To accompany this awesome curry I have made this simple and quick gluten free cauliflower naans.
Serves 4-5
Quite a few ingredients involved. Relatively easy recipe though.
What you need...
500g skinless/boneless chicken thigh
1 tablespoon finely grated ginger
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tablespoon finely grated tumeric (or use ground)
1 teaspoon chilli powder
2 teaspoons sea salt
5 tablespoons mustard oil (veg or sunflower oils ok)
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 roughly chopped red chilli (seeds in if like heat)
15 roughly chopped curry leaves
1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds
3 sliced red onion
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 400g can crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons natural yoghurt
Juice of 1 large lemon
For Cauliflower naans...
1/2 head of cauliflower florets
2 eggs
1 cup almond meal
1 teaspoon poppy seeds
Salt and pepper
What you do...
One. Mix chicken with half of the ginger, half the garlic, half the tumeric, half the salt, chilli powder and 1 tablespoon oil. Marinate for at least one hour. Preferably over night.
Two. In a dry frying pan dry toast the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds and fennel seeds until they are fragrant but not burnt!
Three. In a mortar and pestle smash up the toasted spices into a rough powder. Add the rest of the ginger, garlic, tumeric, salt and the fresh chilli. Smash into a paste.
Four. In a large pot on a medium high heat add rest of oil and the mustard seeds. Cook until they start to pop. Add curry leaves and onion. Cook for approx 20 minutes stirring constantly until onions have caramelised.
Five. Add tomato paste, can tomatoes and yoghurt. Cook for 5 minutes then add chicken. Bring to a simmer and cook for 30-45 minutes. Add water if it becomes to dry. Once done mix through lemon juice.
Six. For the naans. Pre heat the oven to 180 degrees celsius. Blitz cauliflower in food processor until it resembles a fine rice. Place in a microwave safe bowl cover with cling film and microwave for 2-3 minutes or until cauliflower is cooked. Cool slightly.
Seven. Add eggs, almond meal, poppy seeds to bowl and mix into a thick batter. Season with salt and pepper.
Eight. On a baking tray lined with baking paper spoon 4 even sized circles of the cauliflower mix onto tray. Keep them as even and smooth as possible. Approx 5mm thick. Bake for 12 minutes or until egg has cooked.
Nine. Fry off naans in a dry pan to give them a nice brown exterior. Done.
Ten. Curry should be ready now. Serve with some nice pilaf rice, riata, fresh herbs and your epic cauli naans.
Notes...
This recipe can easily be adapted to use beef, lamb or even vegetarian.
