Buttermilk gives a lovely light tang to this mild aromatic curry. If you want to make a spicier dish simply add some hot chilli powder, to taste. I used Kashmiri chilli powder which is very mild. The toasted spice mix makes twice as much as is required but will keep well in a screw top jar for another time.
Ingredients
340g boneless skinless chicken chopped into large chunks
200ml buttermilk
1 tbsp of grated fresh turmeric root (or 1 tsp ground turmeric)
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger root
1 tbsp desiccated coconut (unsweetened)
1 tsp each of coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds and yellow mustard seeds
A few shards of cinnamon
A blade of mace
1 tbsp Kashmiri chilli powder
1 tbsp tomato puree
1 medium sized mild green chilli, deseeded and sliced (set some aside to scatter over the finished dish)
Method
Ingredients
340g boneless skinless chicken chopped into large chunks
200ml buttermilk
1 tbsp of grated fresh turmeric root (or 1 tsp ground turmeric)
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger root
1 tbsp desiccated coconut (unsweetened)
1 tsp each of coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds and yellow mustard seeds
A few shards of cinnamon
A blade of mace
1 tbsp Kashmiri chilli powder
1 tbsp tomato puree
1 medium sized mild green chilli, deseeded and sliced (set some aside to scatter over the finished dish)
Method
- Place 100ml of the buttermilk in a bowl. Add the turmeric and ginger and mix well.
- Add the chicken pieces and turn them to coat thoroughly. Cover and place in the fridge to marinate for several hours or overnight.
- Place the coconut in a dry frying pan and heat gently, stirring occasionally until the coconut becomes golden in colour. Place in a small bowl and set aside.
- Add the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds and yellow mustard seeds, cinnamon and mace to the frying pan and heat until a nutty aroma is released (be careful not to burn).
- Place the toasted coconut and toasted spices in a spice grinder and pulse until you have a fine powder. You should have approx. 4 tbsp of spice mix.
- Place the chicken with its marinade into a pan. Add the remaining 100ml of buttermilk, 2 tbsp of the spice mix, the Kashmiri chilli and tomato puree. Stir to combine.
- Cook uncovered on a gentle heat for 20 minutes then add the green chilli. Cook for a further 10 minutes by which time the sauce should have reduced and thickened. Add salt to taste.
- Serve with rice or flatbreads. Scatter the remaining green chilli over the top. If you like you can also sprinkle with fresh coriander leaves