Mild Balti Chicken Curry Food

CHICKEN BALTI (SPICY INDIAN CURRY RECIPE)

Steps:

• Clean and skin the chicken, cut it into 8 pieces. Set aside.
• Chop the onions and the tomatoes.
• Saute: Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onions and fry until they are golden brown. Add the tomatoes and the spices, including the salt. Lower the heat and fry everything for about 4 minutes, stirring often.
• Add the chicken pieces and stir-fry until the spices have penetrated the meat and the chicken begins to get some color, about 7 minutes.
• Add the yogurt, stir well, cover the pan and cook on low for about 20 minutes or until the meat is cooked through. Stir in between to make sure that the food doesn't stick to the pan.
• Check to see that the chicken is cooked through; I make a small incision on the thickest part of a chicken thigh near the bone; the meat should not be pink anymore. The internal temperature should be 165 degrees Fahrenheit/ 75 degrees Celsius.
• Add the lemon juice, some more salt if necessary, and the chopped coriander and serve.

CLASSIC CHICKEN BALTI CURRY

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Mix the garam masala , curry leaves, palm sugar , coriander, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, turmeric, nigella seeds , green chilies, and cardamom . Set aside.
• Heat the oil in a large pan. Once it's hot but not smoking, add the lightly crushed mustard seeds. Cook for 30 seconds only and be aware of the hot oil splatter, as the seeds might pop a little.
• Add the chopped onion, lower the heat, and cook for approximately 3 to 5 minutes until soft but not colored.
• Add the garlic and ginger. Cook on medium heat, ensuring the spices don't burn.
• Add the chicken pieces and stir well to make sure all the chicken is coated in the spices. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid the spices from burning.
• Add the stock, tomato purée, a small pinch of salt, and the bay leaf. Stir well, lower the heat, and cook gently for 25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
• Add the cilantro and slices of tomato, stir and cook for another 3 minutes. Serve piping hot in balti dishes with naan bread on the side.

QUICK CHICKEN BALTI RECIPE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large sauté pan. Add the onion, and fry on a low heat until softened, then turn the heat up and brown slightly. Season the chicken pieces and add to the pan, turning occasionally, until they're browned slightly on all sides. Add the curry paste and stir to coat everything. Cook for a couple more minutes, then add the tomatoes, sugar and 100ml (4fl oz) water.
• Bring to a simmer, and cook for a further 10 minutes, until the sauce has reduced slightly and the chicken is cooked. Check seasoning, and add the cream, if you like.
• Serve with the yogurt, coriander and pilau rice, plus poppadoms, and a tomato and cucumber salad. This curry will keep frozen for up to a month.

FAMILY MEALS: MILD CHICKEN CURRY

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a heavy-based pan. Fry the onions gently for 5 - 10 mins until soft. Add the garlic, ginger, coriander, mustard seeds, garam masala and cumin and cook for 1 - 2 min allowing the aromas to release.
• Add the chicken and cook for 10 mins over a gentle heat, flipping occasionally and making sure the spices don't catch. Pour in around 300 ml boiling water until almost covering. Stir in the stock cube and cinnamon stick. Simmer for around 45 mins - 1 hour with the lid off so there is a small amount of thickened sauce at the bottom of the pan. Remove the cinnamon stick.
• Stir in the yogurt and sultanas, heat through gently and serve. Scatter with coriander, if using.

SLOW-COOKER CHICKEN CURRY

Steps:

• Put 1 roughly chopped large onion, 3 tbsp mild curry paste, a 400g can chopped tomatoes, 2 tsp vegetable bouillon powder, 1 tbsp finely chopped ginger and 1 chopped yellow pepper into the slow cooker pot with a third of a can of water and stir well.
• Add 2 skinless chicken legs, fat removed, and push them under all the other ingredients so that they are completely submerged. Cover with the lid and chill in the fridge overnight.
• The next day, cook on Low for 6 hrs until the chicken and vegetables are really tender.
• Stir in the the chopped leaves of 30g coriander just before serving over brown rice.

HEALTHIER CHICKEN BALTI

Steps:

• Put the chicken in a medium bowl. Mix in the lime juice, paprika, chilli powder and a grinding of black pepper (step 1), then leave to marinate for at least 15 mins, preferably a bit longer.
• Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large non-stick wok or sauté pan. Tip in the cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, whole chilli and cumin seeds, and stir-fry briefly just to colour and release their fragrance (step 2). Stir in the onion, garlic and ginger and fry over a medium-high heat for 3-4 mins until the onion starts to turn brown. Add the remaining oil, then drop in the chicken and stir-fry for 2-3 mins or until it no longer looks raw. Mix the turmeric, cumin, ground coriander and garam masala together. Tip into the pan, lower the heat to medium and cook for 2 mins (step 3). Pour in the passata and 150ml water, then drop in the chunks of pepper. When starting to bubble, lower the heat and simmer for 15-20 mins or until the chicken is tender.
• Stir in the tomato, simmer for 2-3 mins, then add the spinach and turn it over in the pan to just wilt. Season with a little salt. If you want to thin down the sauce, splash in a little more water. Remove the cinnamon stick, chilli and cardamom pods, if you wish, before serving. Scatter with fresh coriander and serve with warm chapatis or basmati rice, if you like.

BALTI SAUCE - BASIC SAUCE FOR ANYTHING GOES CURRY

Steps:

• Measure out the 8 spices into a bowl (first 8 ingredients). If using fresh chilis then leave those out for now. Warm up a large skillet or pot (ideally cast iron) and bring to med-high heat. Gently roast the spices in the dry skillet -- watching the mixture doesn't burn, keep stirring. After about a minute it will become fragrant and begin to get dark - take it off the heat and pour back into the bowl - set aside.
• Put the skillet back on the heat, add in the oil and bring back to medium high heat. Add in the chopped onion and cook thru until translucent. Once the onion is cooked, add in the ginger and garlic and mix well - watching the garlic doesn't burn. Next add the spice mixture back in, followed by the tinned tomatoes.
• Mix in about 1 cup of water - you want a thick sauce, but not too paste-like. Add in the salt, bay leaves and cardamom seeds.
• Grate the zest off of the lemon, add to the pot, along with the juice from 1/2 of the lemon. Save the other half for later, you may want to add more. Let it all simmer on medium-low.
• For a nice smooth sauce, remove the bay leaves and blend until smooth (an immersion blender works well).