Ravi's Chicken Curry
One spring evening in Northern California, we stopped at a friend’s house to pick him up for a dinner date. When he opened the door, exotic aromas drew us into the kitchen, where his roommate was making dinner. Reservations were canceled, and Ravi’s Chicken was consumed with moans of pleasure. Ravi credits his mother for this wonderful inspiration.
Yield 6 servings
Ingredients
1 3-4 pound chicken, cut into serving pieces
2 tablespoons oil, preferably coconut, but vegetable oil or ghee works
2 cinnamon sticks
1 bay leaf
2 whole cloves
4 onions, chopped
1 tablespoon of fresh ginger, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon garam masala (see note)
2 tomatoes, chopped (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper +
Cilantro for garnish (optional)
| 1 | Sprinkle chicken pieces with salt and freshly ground pepper. |
|
| 2 | In a large pot, heat oil and add cinnamon sticks,bay leaf and cloves. Stir for 30 seconds. |
|
| 3 | Push spices aside and brown chicken pieces, turning once, approximately 4 minutes per side. Work in batches if necessary. Remove from pan. |
|
| 4 | Add onions, ginger, and garlic and sauté until onions are translucent. Add chicken and cayenne, stir and cover. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer until cooked about 1 hour. |
|
| 5 | Add garam masala and optional tomatoes, if using. Cook for 5 minutes more and adjust seasoning |
|
| 6 | Serve over steamed rice. |
|
| | |
|
notes
Garam Masala is an Indian spice blend found in specialty food stores and in some grocery chains that stock international foods. Not all Garam Masala is created equal - some can be very spicy, some bland. Taste the sauce, and if it needs a bit more kick, add additional cayenne.
