Anglo-Indian inspired chicken curry

Recently, I have been playing around with recipes that are borne out of people setting in a different country. Inevitably, expats or communities born out of expatriates have cuisines and culture that are unique. One such community is the Anglo-Indian community. Their food reflects their adoption of cultures of two or more different countries. 

Growing up in an university and railway town in the 80s and 90s Bengal, I was exposed to many cultures, communities and food. And festivals. I studied under teachers from the Anglo-Indian community and had many friends. So I had a lot of exposure to their food, which I devoured. It was Indian. Yet foreign. 

I wanted to make a chicken curry. And came up with this Anglo Indian food inspired version. It is Indian. But also not Indian :) 

Anglo-Indian inspired Chicken Curry

Serves two. Serve with bread and side salad made simply with lettuce and onion, dressed with an overabundance of lime juice and salt.  Pairs well with Merlot. 

Ingredients

1.5 lbs or 500g of chicken. Things, legs and bone in pieces work better

1 small onion. Make this into a paste. 

4 medium sized potatoes. Peeled. 10 cloves of garlic

Equal parts of ginger

You can also use store bought ginger garlic paste 

1/2 tbsf turmeric powder

1 tbsf  unsweetened yogurt/curd

1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper power

1/2 a stick of cinnamon

1 tsp of whole cumin

1 bay leaf

The combination of cumin, cinnamon and bayleaf makes this recipe unique. 

4 tbsf of mustard or olive oil. 

2 green chilis. Slit. 

A large handful of cilantro/coriander . Chopped coarsely.

Hot water

Salt. 

Methods

Step 1: The day before you intend to cook and serve this dish, marinade the chicken with yogurt/curd, turmeric, half of the ginger-garlic paste  (1 tbsf if you are using ginger-garlic paste). Cover and refrigerate. Between 8-24 hours is fine. 

Step 2: Bring out the chicken and let it rest for 10 min before cooking. Will take the chill off the chicken

Step 3: Heat oil (mustard or olive oil) in a deep bottomed cooking vessel. When oil is hot, add the bayleaf, cumin and cinnamon. Add the onion and remaining ginger garlic paste (1 tbsf if you are using store bought). Cook for a min stirring constantly.

Step 4:  Add the marinated chicken and the marinade and the potatoes. Keep cooking by constantly stirring. Another 5 minutes. You will see how the aroma changes. 

Step 5: Add water, salt to taste. Add two slit green chilis. Bring to a boil. Then reduce to simmer. Cover the chicken and let it cook for 20 min. 

Step 5: Add the cilantro/coriander. Cover and take the pot off the heat and let it rest without opening the lid for 5 min for all the flavors to come together. 

Step 6: You are done :) 

Serve warm with bread a side salad. Pairs well with Merlot.