BEST CHICKEN CURRY EVER!

7 years ago

last modified: 7 years ago

I had a leftover chicken breast and to me, leftover chicken and curry is a match made in heaven. I tried a new recipe last night and it was THE. BEST CHICKEN CURRY EVER! the recipe came from an odd English cookbook copyrighted 1985 that I've had "forever" and never used. Probably one of the first English cookbooks that I ever bought. I loved looking at the pictures and reading the recipes but alas, I had never cooked from it. It's English Country Cooking At It's Best by Caroline Conran.

We gobbled it up, my phone was not charged so alas, no pictures! But I will make it again and again!

The recipe calls for a whole chicken but I justed used my leftover cut-up in chunks. I made the sauce and then put my chicken chunks in it and let it simmer until it was hot through.

JOSEFA'S CHICKEN CURRY (AS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK)

1 chicken

2 onions

1 1/4 inch piece of fresh root ginger

2 - 3 small green chili peppers (I used red pepper flakes)

3 large cloves garlic

3 T. oil

3 T. curry powder, preferably hot

1 3/4 c. milk, or coconut milk (I used watered down cream)

salt and pepper

1 - 2 t. chutney (I used jarred Major Greys)

Cut the chicken into 8 neat pieces. Finely chop the onion, ginger, cili peppers and garlic.

Heat the oil in a casserole and fry the chicken until pale golden on all sides. Remove the pieces. (And this is where I started my recipe). Lower the heat and fry the onions, garlic, chili peppers, ginger and curry powder until the onions are soft. Return the chicken to the casserole and pour the milk over it. Add salt, pepper and chutney and simmer fairly rapidly for 40 minutes, until the chicken is done. (I simmered mine only until I thought the chicken was heated through).

It recommends for the side dishes:

2 hard boiled eggs, chopped

2 tomatoes, skinned and choped

1/2 c. roasted peanuts or cashew nuts

1/2 onion, peeled and chopped

2 bananas, sliced

I did not do the eggs or the nuts (I didn't have any -- DH had eaten them all) nor the bananas (same reason except it was I who ate the last one) but I did the tomato, onion, and raisins and chutney. Oh, and DH got pickled jalapeños -- he likes things a bit spicy!

We lapped it up -- it is probably the best curry sauce I've ever made.

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party_music50

7 years ago

last modified: 7 years ago

Ok, now I need to try this recipe. Any particular chutney recipe that anyone would recommend? I'll be making my own, so how about a mango chutney? I've tried two different recipes and the last one I tried was awful. :p

ETA: if anyone has a recipe using garam masala (spicy), please post! Love the stuff but don't have any recipes that call for it.

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Comments (11)

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
7 years ago
My parents were British so I grew up with traditional 'Indian' curry (not really Indian at all - this is a completely British colonial invention). I make it often, usually with leftover chicken but have used a variety of other meats as well (turkey and lamb typically).

This is one of those traditional family dishes I have never used a recipe for, just picking up the general process while growing up helping my mother in the kitchen. My method is not dissimilar to your recipe except that I make a white sauce using the coconut milk (if on hand; otherwise I use half and half) - I prefer my sauce on the thickish side :-) And cooking the chicken first is not necessary as I always use leftover cooked meats!! And it is always served over steamed rice.

I never use any toppings (much to my sister's dismay - according to her it is not "real" curry without the toppings). I just like it plain :-) And the chutney gets included into the sauce to provide both some sweetness and additional tang. If I don't have chutney on hand (rare), I include a chopped up apple when sauteing the onions and garlic.

The toppings we had at home were chopped hardboiled eggs, raisins, shredded coconut, fried bread croutons, peanuts, sometimes bananas. And more chutney! All the heat was in the curry sauce itself, although I can see where my dad would have appreciated the jalapenos - he liked his curry sweat producing hot!!
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User
Original Author
7 years ago
party music -- I used a mango but the recipe suggested an orange (recipe included in the book). I've made chutney once (apple) and was not as pleased with it . . . I think I still have a couple of jars downstairs (or 3 or 4) --
writersblock (9b/10a)
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
I'd be interested in a good recipe for chutney, too. I like Major Grey's but these days I can't find a decent commercial version. When I was a young 'un it was full of bits of ginger and raisins and other unidentifiable little crunches, but now all the brands I can find are pureed into a slurry. I'm more than happy to make my own if anyone has a recipe they'd like to share.

When I was growing up we never put chutney into the curry, just on the side, but we did usually add raisins and cut up apples for chicken. But that may be more a Pakistani thing, since the people who taught me were from Lahore.
l pinkmountain
7 years ago
The last store bought mango chutney I had was pretty bad. Not really distinguishable in flavor other than the vinegar. I am always tempted to make my own (with MI peaches) but have never gotten around to it or inspired by a recipe. I would be interested in hearing if anyone has a store bought one they like.
Feathers11
7 years ago
I'm going to make this this week. I have been using a curry paste I found--easy, but not the same. I also have an unopened jar of roasted red pepper jelly from the holidays that will serve as a chutney substitute.

What is everyone's favorite curry powder? I have tried various ones over the years and am surprised how different they can be. I don't care for the standard McCormick's. I found one at Aldi that I love, love, love about 6 months ago, but they no longer carry it and I cannot find it online.
User
Original Author
7 years ago
I have a box of one that I bought at a store that is no longer in business. I really like it but before I got this one I always used Penzys.
User
Original Author
7 years ago
Sun Brand Madres Curry Powder -- they sell it on Amazon. I will get it from there as I have to go to the city to go to Penzys.
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
7 years ago
Oh golly!! Never McCormicks or Spice Islands or any typical grocery store curry powder. Sun Brand is good as is Ship - both Madras. Or any imported from India curry powder. I buy mine in bulk from a store that specializes in herbs and spices as I use it to season a lot of differnt dishes, not just curry. And you can make your own, which is probably the most desirable product :-) Just too time consuming and too much bother for me!
Feathers11
7 years ago
Thank you for the recommendations. I have reasonable access to Penzeys and The Spice Store, and will look to see what they have there. I always just thought that if I were going that route, I'd buy the individual spices and make my own curry concoction. Yet... that hasn't happened...
Islay Corbel
7 years ago
In Britain, people don't eat those types of curries any more....... we have so many good,authentic restaurants....and natives! My nephews wife is punjabi so we get great food!

My son cooked curries last night with spice blends from here. Their recipe book is the best I've ever seen too.

https://www.thespicery.com/spicestore/blends

BEST CHICKEN CURRY EVER!

party_music50

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gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)

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