The inspiration recipe came across my desk and I read it and thought it sounded delicious. I also thought that Chicken Vindaloo contained tomato and did some research on the matter. Turns out that, as so often is the case, there are as many recipes as there are families who make the dish. Still, the original recipe intrigued me and I added it to this week's menu.
Unfortunately, I did not read the recipe again until an hour before dinner, which means that I had no idea that it was quite so convoluted, nor that it would take so long and need a marinade time, etc. I decided to make my own version based generally on it, and with the addition of tomatoes which I had noticed were added in more than a fair share of my research recipes.
I may make the original from A to Z one day, but this did very well. Very well indeed. L.'s only request should I make it again was that I use breast or thigh meat rather than bone in chicken pieces, which was a fair critique.
4 6-8 oz pieces of chicken, thigh or breast
1 yellow onion, peeled, halved and cut into thin half moons
1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
1 clove of garlic, peeled and grated through a microplane or on the side of a box grater
1 cup tomato passata, or strained tomatoes
1 fresh chili pepper, hot, pricked all over with a fork
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tsps brown sugar
2 Tbsps vegetable oil
1 cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp yellow mustard seeds, quickly crushed in a mortar
1/2 tsp powdered cloves
1 1/2 tsp turmeric
1 cup water or chicken stock
Salt to taste
About an hour before you are ready to serve the chicken, remove it from the fridge.
Combine the cumin, paprika, yellow mustard seeds, and cloves in a bowl and rub this mixture all over the chicken. Salt on both sides and set aside for an hour.
After an hour, heat 1 tablespoon ofthe oil over medium low, in a large skillet. As soon as the oil is shimmering, add the sliced onion, the ginger, the garlic, the cinnamon stick, and some salt to the pan and cook, stirring from time to time, until the onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Scrape out into a bowl and set aside.
Add the remaining oil to the pan and, as soon as it is hot and shimmering, add the chicken pieces. Brown for 2 minutes on each side.
Return the onions to the pan, nestling them among the chicken pieces. Make sure to tuck the cinnamon stick and bay leaf in as well.
Pour over the passata and the stock and stir gently to combine. Then add the brown sugar and stir to combine until the sugar is melted. Then add the chili pepper and the turmeric, stir to combine, lower the heat, cover, and cook for about 20 to 25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
About 15 minutes into the cooking time turn the pieces of chicken over and taste the sauce, adding more salt if needed. If you feel that it is spicy enough for you, remove the chili pepper. If not, leave it until the end and remove along with the bay leaf and the cinnamon stick.
Right before serving, stir in the vinegar and allow to bubble for a minute or so before serving.
Inspiration recipe, here.
Comments