I created this dish about 15 years ago and have continued to improve it over the years. I'm pretty sure this is the final version so I'm posting it here. It is based around the Patak's Hot Curry Paste which is available in most supermarkets, at least around here. The version I make is VERY spicy, to suit our tastes. There are a couple of areas to reduce the heat if you want to. Specifically, you can use plain diced tomatoes instead of the Rotel Hot DIced Tomatoes with Habaneros that I use. Also, you can omit the teaspoon of cayenne. It will still be spicy, but not quite as much. EDIT: While I have never tried it, Patak's also sells a Mild Curry Paste. I imagine you could make this dish with the mild paste, plain diced tomatoes and no added cayenne and it wouldn't be spicy at all and I expect it would taste very good. The yogurt, tomatoes and crisp fired brown onions make this pretty "authentic" from an Indian cooking methods point of view. In my opinion, they are what make this (especially the yogurt and onions.)
Ingredients
1½ lbs skinless boneless chicken cut into 1" chunks - I use thighs, but breasts would certainly work
1 large yellow or medium Spanish onion peeled and sliced into uniform thin rings. I use a mandolin on the thinnest setting
1-2 cups neutral oil for frying
1 medium yellow into cut medium dice
5-6 Tbsp Pataks Hot Curry Paste (about ½ jar)
5-6 Tbsp plain yogurt - any fat content, regular or Greek - you may substitute sour cream in a pinch
1 10 or 15 oz can diced tomatoes - I use Rotel Hot Diced Tomatoes and Habaneros. For less heat, use plane diced tomatoes. Crush them with an immersion blender or food processor until mostly smooth - like canned crushed tomatoes.
½ cup of water
½ tsp kosher salt
½-1 tsp cayenne (optional)
¼ tsp garam masala (optional)
2-3 Tbsp neutral oil or ghee
Instructions
1.Put about 2 cups of oil in a deep, wide skillet or sautee pan over high heat.
2.When oil is hot (~325°F) carefully add the thinly sliced onions and stir with a wooden spoon to disperse and separate the rings. Cook over high heat until they begin to turn brown. Reduce heat to medium low and continue cooking, stirring frequently until the onions are all a medium reddish brown color, about 8-10 minutes in total. Be careful as they get close that you don't burn them. Remove with a strainer or slotted spoon to a bowl lined with a double layer of paper towel to drain. Set aside.
3.Heat 2-3 Tbsp oil or ghee in a wok or deep pot over medium high heat. When hot, add diced onions and saute, stirring periodically until they just start to take on some color in spots. Add the curry paste, stir to mix and let cook, stirring constantly for a minute or 2.
4.Add the crushed diced tomatoes and stir to blend everything well. Reduce heat to medium, cover the wok/pot and let cook until most of the water is cooked out of the tomatoes and the oil separates on the sides of the pan, about 10 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes to keep from sticking.
5.Reduce the heat to medium low, pull the pot part way off the heat and add the yogurt 1 Tbsp at a time, stirring to combine for about 30 seconds before adding the next Tbsp. Add all the yogurt this way and make sure it is all mixed into the sauce.
6.Add the chicken to the pot and mix well. Turn heat to medium, add 1/2 cup of water, salt and cayenne, if using, stir to mix. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 15-20 minutes, until chicken is just done. If you want or need to, you can shut off the heat and pause here, resuming later 10 minutes before you plan to eat.
7.Pick up the paper towel lining the bowl with the browned onions in it. The onions should now be very crisp. Closing the paper towel around the mass of onions, crush/crumble them with your hands. Dump the crushed onions into the pot, stir to combine. Increase the heat to medium high, cover and cook for about 5 minutes. The sauce should thicken considerably and turn a darker reddish brown color.
8.Turn off the heat. Sprinkle garam masala over the top and stir to mix it in.
9.Serve over basmati rice and/or hot Indian bread such as naan or roti.
Ingredients
1½ lbs skinless boneless chicken cut into 1" chunks - I use thighs, but breasts would certainly work
1 large yellow or medium Spanish onion peeled and sliced into uniform thin rings. I use a mandolin on the thinnest setting
1-2 cups neutral oil for frying
1 medium yellow into cut medium dice
5-6 Tbsp Pataks Hot Curry Paste (about ½ jar)
5-6 Tbsp plain yogurt - any fat content, regular or Greek - you may substitute sour cream in a pinch
1 10 or 15 oz can diced tomatoes - I use Rotel Hot Diced Tomatoes and Habaneros. For less heat, use plane diced tomatoes. Crush them with an immersion blender or food processor until mostly smooth - like canned crushed tomatoes.
½ cup of water
½ tsp kosher salt
½-1 tsp cayenne (optional)
¼ tsp garam masala (optional)
2-3 Tbsp neutral oil or ghee
Instructions
1.Put about 2 cups of oil in a deep, wide skillet or sautee pan over high heat.
2.When oil is hot (~325°F) carefully add the thinly sliced onions and stir with a wooden spoon to disperse and separate the rings. Cook over high heat until they begin to turn brown. Reduce heat to medium low and continue cooking, stirring frequently until the onions are all a medium reddish brown color, about 8-10 minutes in total. Be careful as they get close that you don't burn them. Remove with a strainer or slotted spoon to a bowl lined with a double layer of paper towel to drain. Set aside.
3.Heat 2-3 Tbsp oil or ghee in a wok or deep pot over medium high heat. When hot, add diced onions and saute, stirring periodically until they just start to take on some color in spots. Add the curry paste, stir to mix and let cook, stirring constantly for a minute or 2.
4.Add the crushed diced tomatoes and stir to blend everything well. Reduce heat to medium, cover the wok/pot and let cook until most of the water is cooked out of the tomatoes and the oil separates on the sides of the pan, about 10 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes to keep from sticking.
5.Reduce the heat to medium low, pull the pot part way off the heat and add the yogurt 1 Tbsp at a time, stirring to combine for about 30 seconds before adding the next Tbsp. Add all the yogurt this way and make sure it is all mixed into the sauce.
6.Add the chicken to the pot and mix well. Turn heat to medium, add 1/2 cup of water, salt and cayenne, if using, stir to mix. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 15-20 minutes, until chicken is just done. If you want or need to, you can shut off the heat and pause here, resuming later 10 minutes before you plan to eat.
7.Pick up the paper towel lining the bowl with the browned onions in it. The onions should now be very crisp. Closing the paper towel around the mass of onions, crush/crumble them with your hands. Dump the crushed onions into the pot, stir to combine. Increase the heat to medium high, cover and cook for about 5 minutes. The sauce should thicken considerably and turn a darker reddish brown color.
8.Turn off the heat. Sprinkle garam masala over the top and stir to mix it in.
9.Serve over basmati rice and/or hot Indian bread such as naan or roti.
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