Basic Curry Chicken Recipe

Basic Curry Chicken Recipe

4 chicken pieces (leg, breast or thigh (make that 8)) or 500g (1 lb) of chicken cubes from thigh or breast
Vegetable oil for frying
Large onion, peeled and chopped
Tin chopped tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 inch fresh ginger root, peeled and grated
2 tbsp ground cumin
2 tbsp ground coriander
½ tsp turmeric
2 fresh green chillies, chopped or 1 - 2 tsp chilli powder
Salt to taste

Heat the oil in a heavy pan and fry the chicken pieces or cubes until lightly browned. Drain and remove from the pan. Add more oil if necessary and fry the onion until golden. Add the garlic and ginger and stir for a minute then the cumin, coriander, turmeric and chilli and stir for 2 minutes. If you don't want the curry to be too hot, remove the seeds from the chillies before adding or leave them whole.

Add the tin of tomatoes and salt to taste. If the mixture seems too dry, add a little water then bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 30 to 40 minutes or until the chicken is cooked.

As with any curry, this one improves with freezing or keeping for 24 hours.

Chinese Chicken Recipe

500g (1 lb) cubed chicken breast
Vegetable oil for frying
1 onion, peeled and sliced vertically (i.e. from root to stalk)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp curry powder
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp water
Salt to taste
250ml (8.5oz) water

Heat the oil in a saucepan or wok, fry chicken until light brown then remove from the pan and drain. Add more oil if needed and fry the onions until golden then add the garlic and curry powder and fry for 2 minutes

Add soy sauce and water then cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked. Stir in cornflour and water mixture and bring to the boil, stirring until thickened. Check seasoning and add salt if needed.

You can include carrots, broccoli, mushrooms or other vegetables of choice to this curry by stir frying them until nearly tender, prior to frying the onions.

As well as India and China, Malaysia and Thailand feature chicken curry recipes in their cuisine. In Thailand, green chicken curry is probably the best known and in Malaysia, Kari Ayam which includes potatoes, coconut milk and star anise amongst the "normal" ingredients of curry powder, garlic and ginger.

About the author: Liz Canham: As well as a love of Asian Food and Cookery, Liz seeks to help newcomers to the world of internet marketing with tools, tips and training from her Liz-e-Biz.com website.