Name: Southern Indian Chicken Curry with Mustard Seeds
Yield: serves 4
Ingredients: 1/4 cup vegetable oil; 6 whole dried red hot chiles, each broken into 3 or 4 pieces; 2 teaspoons brown or yellow mustard seeds; 1 whole cinnamon stick (3 inches); 1/2 teaspoon urad dal or yellow split peas; 1 1/4 cups very thinly sliced shallots (about 4); 10 garlic cloves, very thinly sliced; 10 fresh curry leaves (optional); 2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger; 1 1/4 cups chopped plum tomatoes (about 3); 1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces; 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric; Coarse salt; Raita, for serving; Pooris, for serving (optional)

This dish was inspired by one of cookbook author Madhur Jaffrey’s lamb curries.

Recipe information

Yield
serves 4

Ingredients

1

/4 cup vegetable oil

6

whole dried red hot chiles, each broken into 3 or 4 pieces

2

teaspoons brown or yellow mustard seeds

1

whole cinnamon stick (3 inches)

1

/2 teaspoon urad dal or yellow split peas

1

1/4 cups very thinly sliced shallots (about 4)

10

garlic cloves, very thinly sliced

10

fresh curry leaves (optional)

2

teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger

1

1/4 cups chopped plum tomatoes (about 3)

1

1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces

1

/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

Coarse salt

Raita, for serving

Pooris, for serving (optional)

Need to make a substitution?

Preparation

Step 1
Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the chiles, mustard seeds, cinnamon, and urad dal; cook, shaking the pot, until the seeds pop, about 45 seconds. Add the shallots, garlic, and curry leaves; cook, stirring, until the shallots are golden, about 4 minutes. Add the ginger; cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add the tomatoes; cook, stirring, 2 minutes.
Step 2
Add the chicken; sprinkle with the turmeric and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Stir in 2 cups water. Bring to a boil. Cover; reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until the chicken is very tender, about 30 minutes.
Step 3
Uncover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil until the sauce coats the meat, about 10 minutes. Season with salt. Serve with raita and pooris, if desired.

The cookbook cover with a blue background and fine typeface.

Reprinted with permission from The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: The New Classics by Martha Stewart Living Magazine, copyright © 2007. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of The Crown Publishing Group. Buy the full book from Amazon.

Recipe information

Ingredients

Preparation

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Recipe notes