Thanks Arv. I had to zoom in to even see the potatoes. And I don’t think potatoes and tomatoes live particularly well with each other. So I’m with you on omitting. I will likely try something similar and sub chickpeas for the potatoes.
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Last year or so I’ve been doing this Pakistani Karahi Chicken a lot - it’s super fragrant and really tasty. It does require a good spice grinder, tho.
I’m no huge fan of soft bell peppers in cooking, and there’s a debate online if Karahi chicken should include it at all, but when done in this way, basically just super-quickly turned in the ghee so they remain crunchy, it’s very tasty. Same goes for onions - trick is to keep them ultra crunchy (so I do even less than the 2 mins they recommend) and just add them in just before serving.
I also love that it’s not too saucy and swimmy - I’m really into semi-dry curries recently.
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I think in the picture I included that was an example made with carrots. It might be hard to get browning with chickpeas. Many of the chana types of recipes are all a bit more soupy/stewy, I love those too.
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I made a green bean sabzi seasoned with kalonji seeds and coconut that went well with store bought but uncooked roti (semi available in my region). Again, this style doesn’t lend itself to big groups or restaurant cooking^, but is fine for a family. I find its better to make in a non stick pan, with a glass cover for the second half since ideally one has browned potatoes nestled with just right green beans. I finish it with fresh lemon, ready made fried onions, coconut shreds, and sprinkled garam masala.
Roti cooked on a non stick electric griddle with ghee, not as good browning as an iron tawa or Lodge skillet, but one can make more - twice as fast! Chef hydrated himself during preparation with a lackluster blanc Pessac.
^ I suppose if a restaurant is set up for wok or stir frying they could probably do this stuff well too. It might not work well if ‘to go’ is a lot of the tickets, since it would get soggy.
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My quick everyday curry (heavily inspired by the Karahi). This is a super tasty dish and crazily fragrant:
- Caramelize 2 onions.
- In dry dutch oven/pan roast/heat equal amounts of: whole fennel seed, whole coriander seed, whole black pepper, whole cumin seed until they get some color. If you have to go heavy on one, go heavy on the cumin. 1tsp of each spice is normally enough for 2-3 persons.
- Toss in a few dried Arbol chillies and one black or Ancho chili you can get at any store carrying mexican. Toast in pan with spices.
- Blend all toasted spices into a fine powder.
- Put caramelized onions in blender with 2-3 whole tomatoes, equal amount of garlic and fresh ginger.
- After, cook down, or “bhuna” as they say, in lots of ghee. You want it to shed water and start to separate from oil. Salt to taste.
- Add a knife’s point of turmeric.
- Add a dash of palm sugar Jaggery (or regular sugar if you don’t have it).
- Add chicken (or your protein of choice). Continue to “bhuna”.
- Add dash of yoghurt or cream in end just to color it a bit lighter. Final salt check.
- Toss 1 or 2 chopped onions and 1 green bell pepper and turn in ghee - do not over-cook. They need to stay as crisp as possible.
- Dump onions/peppers into dish right before serving.
Serve with rice and fresh cilantro on top.
I’ve personally stopped salting rice when I do curries, I prefer to have a little more in the curry itself, I find it gives a nice break and contrast to the neutral rice.
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Do you typically marinade the chicken first or just in straight?
For this quick version no, but if you have the time, I’d do so. Adds a lot of extra depth.
I’d put chicken in bit of yoghurt/cream, a dash of vinegar (more vinegar if it’s cream, less if yoghurt) and some chili powder. For coloring you can also add a touch of tomato paste.
PS. I would reduce or eliminate the yoghurt/cream addition to dish if they’ve been marinated, as that will carry through. Buttermilk is another option, the no need for the vinegar (I just don’t often have buttermilk at home).