Kuřecí curry

• ½ kg chicken or 500 grams or 1 pound (preferably bone-in)
• 2 to 3 tbsp Oil
• 1 cup onions or 3 medium onions (fine chopped or grated or paste)
• 1 to 2 green chilies slit (skip for less spicy)
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste or minced ginger garlic
• ½ cup tomatoes finely chopped or puree (deseeded)(2 medium tomatoes)
• salt as needed
• ½ to 1 cup hot water or coconut milk
• 2 tbsp coriander leaves chopped or mint or pudina

Spice powders (or use curry powder as needed)

• ¼ tsp turmeric powder or haldi
• ¾ to 1 tsp red chili powder or smoked paprika (½ tsp for less spicy)
• 1 tsp garam masala (½ tsp more if needed, adjust to taste)
• ¾ tsp coriander powder (optional)

Whole spices (skip if you don’t have)

• 1 bay leaf small or tej patta or curry leaves
• 4 cloves or laung
• 2 inch cinnamon or dalchini
• 3 green cardamom or elaichi

For taste (optional)

• 2 to 3 tbsp curd or yogurt or 10 cashews or 3 tbsp poppy seeds (ground to smooth paste)

Preparation

• First heat oil in a deep pan, then add whatever whole spices you have – bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves & green cardamoms. Fry them till you get an aroma, just for a min.
• Add chopped onions and chilies. Fry evenly stirring often till the onions turn deep golden in color.
• Next add ginger garlic paste and saute till you get a nice aroma. This just takes about a minute.
• Then add mashed tomatoes or puree, turmeric and salt. Mix well and cook until the tomatoes turn soft & mushy.
• Pour yogurt or cashew paste, red chili powder, garam masala. coriander powder or just curry powder.
• On a low heat cook until the mixture smells good and the raw smell goes away.
• Add chicken and coriander or mint leaves. Fry till the chicken turns white or pale in color. This takes around 3 mins.
• In a separate pot, heat up 1 cup water. Using cold water most times toughen the chicken so it is good to use hot water.

How to make chicken curry

• Pour hot water just enough to make a thick gravy. Do not add too much water, chicken curry will become runny. Sometimes chicken lets out lot of moisture. So use only as needed.
• Cover and cook on a medium to low flame till the chicken is soft cooked and chicken gravy turns thick.
• Taste the curry & add more salt if needed.
• You can also add another ½ tsp garam masala at this stage if you feel it is less in flavors.
• Cover and cook on a low flame for 3 to 5 mins. When the chicken is cooked completely it will fall off the bone easily.
• Lastly add coriander leaves, cover and off the heat. Serve chicken curry with basmati rice, chapathi or jeera rice, ghee rice or pulao.