Spicy Home style Indian chicken curry for weeknight dinner, made with fresh home ground chicken curry Masala blend. {Chicken curry and Roti Meal}

This chicken curry was made for one  weeknight dinner. It was just basic Indian chicken curry but the  profile of mix and match of fresh ground spice blend and addition of some canned coconut milk made this chicken curry worth sharing on blog and repeating in future. I saved some curry to take images next day, after taking images for the blog post I savored  this chicken curry and roti for my lunch. Extra thick rolled Roti in image is made with American whole wheat flour which is more coarse and full of natural wheat flavor. This home made roti makes a delicious and wholesome match with home style chicken curry.

Hand rolled, fully puffed American whole wheat flour Roti.

Ingredients : 
Curry Quantity is good for 4 people.

• 2 whole boneless and skinless chicken breasts - (1.5 lbs) cut into one inch cubes.
• 2 large onions - finely chopped, 3cups heaped quantity. (I used one Red and one Yellow)
• 3-4 Roma tomatoes - diced (2.5 cups yield)
• 3 inch piece -Ginger coarsely crushed
• 7-8 - large Garlic cloves coarsely crushed
• 1 cup - chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 T.spoon - Red chili powder
• Coconut milk - 3/4 cup. (try to use all natural, I used Renuka brand.)
• 2 Tb.spoon - oil

Spice blend

• 1 Tb.spoon - corriander seeds
• 1/2 T.spoon - shahijeera
• 1 T.spoon - fennel seeds
• 6 - cloves
• 1 T.spoon - whole black peppers
• 1 star anise - small size flower
• 1/2 inch square - cinnamon piece
• 1 Bay leaf - 2 inch long
• 6-7 inch long - Guajillo chilies or 4-5 bedgi chilies or you may use Kashmiri chili powder for color.

Cut dry chilies into very small pieces, Combine all above spices and chili pieces  in a spice grinder bowl, grind them to a  fine powder.

Method for preparing HomeStyle Indian Chicken Curry.

1. Clean chicken breasts, pat dry, cut into one inch cubes. Marinate with little salt, keep it aside.You can use your choice of  chicken pieces or whole chicken cut up, give more cooking time for bone in large size chicken pieces also increase onion quantity with one cup.
2. Combine ginger and garlic in a small blender jar, grind to a coarse mixture. Alternatively you can grate it by using microplane.
3. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a thick gauge pot. (3-4 quart size) Add chopped onions, increase heat to high,  fry the onions stirring continuously  for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and continue to saute onions, now stirring at some intervals. This will take around 8-10 minutes to soften the onions. Now add coarse crushed mixture of ginger and garlic, mix-saute for one minute.
4. Next add ground spice blend, mix well, saute over medium low heat for 3-4 minutes. If mixture sticks to the bottom and gets dry, sprinkle little water and continue to saute.
5. Add salt marinated chicken pieces, mix well. Cover with lid, cook over medium low heat for 7-8 minutes, stirring few times.
6. Now add half the quantity of diced tomatoes, salt, 3/4 cup water and 1 tsp red chili powder,  mix all well, cover with lid and  continue to cook over medium heat for 10-12 minutes, stirring at some interval. (spice blend has 1 tsp of black pepper which brings good heat, skip adding red chili powder if you want medium hot curry.)
7. Stir in remaining chopped tomatoes, 3/4 cup coconut milk, little chopped cilantro, mix well, check and adjust salt level, cook over medium heat without covering the lid for 7-8 minutes. If you want thick gravy then cook over high heat for few more minutes, stirring often until  you have achieved the desired  gravy consistency. Finally add remaining chopped cilantro and shut off the heat. Cover with lid, allow to rest one hour before serving. You can serve this chicken curry over rice or eat with roti.

Home style spice laden Indian Chicken Curry.

Chicken Curry Roti Lunch.

Curry cooked on 19th,March..published on 17th May,2013.

Four Whole spices tempered Dal made with split skin on Urad dal, Quinoa, split skinless masoor Dal and Barley. {Grain & Legume Mix Dal - Year round Indian comfort food}

I cooked  mix lentil Dal on the first day of the new year with mixture of black urad dal, Masoor dal, Quinoa and Barley. This Mix Dal is  prepared in pressure pan. Distinct  feature of this dal preparation is, use of four whole Indian spices (khada Masala) for  tempering. I skipped using ground masala powder. This versatile Dal recipe serves multiple meals like Dal, Khichdi and Soup.

Ingredients :

• 3/4 Cup - Skin-on split Urad Dal (Black gram Dal)
• 5 Tb.spoon- skinless split Masoor Dal (Orange lentil)
• 5 Tb.spoon- Quinoa
• 5 Tb.spoon- Barley (quick cooking type or pearl barley)
• 1 small size onion - finely chopped (1 cup yield)
• 7-8 big size garlic cloves - slice lengthwise each clove in 4-5 pieces.
• 1 Tb.spoon Kasoori Methi (dried fenugreek leaves) 
• 1/2 T.spoon - Turmeric powder
• 2 Roma tomatoes - diced
• 2 inch - piece of ginger, finely grated
• 2 Green chilies - finely chopped
• 1 cup - chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 Tb.spoon oil + 1 Tb.spoon oil

Whole spices for Tadka/Tempering

• 4 cloves
• 1/2 T.spoon - shahijeera
• 1 T.spoon - whole black peppers
• 1 Bay leaf - 3 inch long

Method of Preparing Dal/ Mix Grain-Lentil Curry

1. Combine Urad dal, masoor Dal, quinoa, quick cooking barley in a big size bowl, fill with water and thoroughly massage mixture between palms, drain all murky water. Repeat until water gets clear,  drain keep it aside. (In absence of quick cooking barley use pearl barley but you will need to soak in the water for at least one  hour.)
2. Heat 1 tbsp oil in pressure pan / pressure cooker, (3 quart or bigger size) don't let oil temperature to reach smoking point. First add bay leaf, followed by 4 cloves and 1 tsp whole black peppers, stir and sizzle for 20-30 seconds. Now add shahijeera, sizzle for 15 seconds. Quickly add chopped onions, saute over medium heat for 7-8 minutes or until they turn soft and transparent. Add sliced garlic, chopped green chilies, 1 tbsp Kasuri methi, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, saute for 1 minute. (Refer image-A cooking step below)
3. Now add rinsed Urad dal-Masoor Dal-Quinoa-Barley, saute for 2-3 minutes over high heat, stirring often. Add salt and 4 cups water, when it starts to boil, (refer image-C) close pressure pan lid, allow to cook over medium high heat for 6-7 minutes. Once steam is built up inside pressure pan, reduce the heat to medium. Allow to blow quick 2-3 whistles. Quickly reduce heat to low and continue cooking for another 6-7 minutes. (Some pressure pans give short 5 second whistles, in such cases  you may continue cooking over medium heat for 7-8 minutes, wait until it blows short 5 seconds whistles at least 10-12 times, then reduce flames to medium low and further  cook for 6-7 minutes. Shut off the heat and let pressure pan cool.
4. Once you open the lid, you will find all water has evaporated and Mixture of legumes  is well cooked. (Check images-D below) If you want to enjoy some wholesome Khichdi, take out some portion at this stage, enjoy by adding warm creamy milk and melted ghee.
5. My pressure pan was small so I have to take another pot to cook Dal. If you are using 4 quart and bigger size pressure cooker you can do this step in a small pan and pour tomato ginger mixture  in pressure cooker. Heat 1 tbsp oil in minimum 4 quart heavy gauge pot. Add grated ginger, saute for 1 minute, quickly add diced Roma tomatoes. Saute over medium heat for about 3-4 minutes.
6. Now add cooked Dal mixture, 2 cups water. Mix all well. Check and adjust salt level. You may increase or decrease water quantity as per your desired  consistency. Add fresh chopped cilantro, simmer over medium low heat for 12-15 minutes, stirring at intervals. Serve with hot  rice, roti or enjoy as soup by drizzling spoonful of  melted ghee or extra virgin olive oil.

Few Images captured while preparing Dal in pressure pan.

[Image-A] Sauteing 4 whole spices, onions, garlic in pressure pan.

[Image-B] Mixing rinsed Dals to sauteed Spice and onion base.

[Image-C] Dal starts boiling, time to close pressure pan lid.

[Image-D] Perfectly pressure pan cooked legumes and grains.

Kala Masala - Chicken curry.

This chicken curry is cooked with Kala Masala made from scratch. Spices Proportions that I took worked well to create extra aromatic Kala Masala Blend. Addition of Kabab Chini enhances aroma.


Spices For Kala Masala :-

1. 2 Tablespoon Fennel seeds
2. 15 cloves
3. 4 Kabab chini
4. 1 Tablespoon Shahajeera
5. 2 Bay leaf ( 3 inch long)
6. 2 Tablespoon Poppy Seeds
7. 25-30 whole black pepper
8. 3 Cardamom
9. 1 inch stick of cinnamon

Mix all above spices and gently fry them on medium heat for 6 minutes. Stir continuously as you fry them. Make fine powder.

Ingredients :-

1. 2 pound cleaned and cut chicken - Marinated with salt.
2. 2 Medium sized onions - chopped.
3. 2 medium size diced Tomatoes.
4. 3 Tb.spoon cooking oil.
5. 2 inch piece of ginger - minced.
6. 10 cloves of garlic - minced.
7. 1 Cup - finely chopped cilantro.
8. 1 Tb.spoon red chilli powder.
   

Method of Preparing Curry :-

1. Heat 3 Tb.spoon oil in heavy bottom pot. Add chopped onions. Fry them for 5-6 minutes on high heat.
2. Add minced ginger and garlic and fry for 1 minute.
3. Add powdered Kala Masala and stir well with onions.
4. Reduce flame to medium low and let it stay for 2-3 minutes.
5. Add 1 diced tomato and fry for a minute.
6. Add 1 tb.spoon red chilli powder and little salt just enough for Gravy.
7. Now add marinated chicken and mix well with Gravy base. Stir it well on high heat for 2-3 minutes.
8. Add 1 cup water and reduce flames to medium .Keep lid on pot and let it cook for 8 minutes.
9. Open the lid and add 1 more cup water. Increase heat to high and let it cook for another 8 minutes.Do not close lid at this stage and keep stirring at intervals.
10. Reduce flames to medium low and add another diced tomato and little chopped cilantro. Close lid and let it cook for another 12 minutes.
11. Shutoff the gas and let chicken curry cool down.
12. Add fresh chopped cilantro and enjoy curry with rice or roti.

Kala Masala