Madras Chicken Curry
Madras chicken is a curry born at the crossroads of Indian and French cuisine, in Pondicherry, a former French trading post in India. There, French settlers softened the traditional spices of South India to create a smoother, milder sauce, while keeping the curry leaves and characteristic aromas of the Madras region. Here is our homemade version, faithful to this hybrid recipe, so you can make it easily at home.
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Ingredients
- 600 g chicken breast, cut into pieces
- 100 g plain yoghurt
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1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 1 piece fresh ginger, grated
- 1 tsp salt
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2 whole yellow chillies, lightly slit (remove the seeds for a milder result)
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15 fresh or dried curry leaves
- 1 onion, finely sliced
- 400 g chopped tomatoes
- 200 ml coconut milk
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1 tsp cumin seeds
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1 tsp ground coriander
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1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- Salt, to taste
- Fresh coriander, to finish
Instructions
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1
In a bowl, mix the yoghurt, turmeric, grated garlic and ginger, and salt.
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2
Add the chicken pieces, coat well in the marinade, cover and leave to rest in the fridge for 1 hour.
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3
Heat the oil in a pot and briefly fry the curry leaves and slit yellow chillies until fragrant.
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4
Add the sliced onion and cook until translucent.
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5
Add the marinated chicken and lightly brown on all sides.
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6
Stir in the chopped tomatoes, cumin, ground coriander and garam masala, then simmer gently for 10 minutes.
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7
Pour in the coconut milk, stir gently and simmer for another 15 minutes, covered, until the chicken is tender and the sauce is smooth.
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8
Adjust the seasoning with salt, sprinkle with fresh coriander and serve immediately.
Tips
For an even milder sauce, remove the seeds from the yellow chillies before slitting them, or leave them whole and unslit for a more subtle aroma. The curry leaves are meant to be eaten with the dish: besides their aroma, they are valued for their many benefits. Serve with basmati rice or naan bread for a complete meal.
Spices used
Find the spices from this recipe in our shop.
Kerala Turmeric Powder
Cumin seeds
Coriander Powder
Garam Masala
Dried Curry Leaves from Uttarakhand
Yellow chili
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