South African / Durban Indian Curry

Chicken curry is one of the firm favourites among the South African Indian curries. Ideally a free range chicken should be used to make a spicy curry over an open fire. However, most people opt for the easily available frozen chickens and milder curry with thick gravy for daily consumption. Although boiled eggs and peas are more of an optional extra than a basic necessity in chicken curry, it is a handy way of putting a different twist on the traditional recipe.

Ingredients

1 Full chicken cleaned and cut into small pieces
2 small onions (1 onion sliced and 1 grated)
1 ½ small grated tomatoes
¾ cup of fresh or frozen peas
4 boiled eggs
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs of curry leaves
2 slit green chillies
Fresh coriander (dhania) leaves roughly chopped
2 heaped tablespoon of mixed curry masala
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon Garum masla
1 stick of cinnamon
¼ teaspoon of cumin (jeera)
¼ teaspoon of mustard seed
¼ teaspoon of fennel (soomph)
2 heaped teaspoons of ginger and garlic
Salt to taste
Oil

Additional

2 tablespoons oil
2 teaspoon masala

1 teaspoon chilli powder

Method

  1. Heat oil in a pot and add 1 finely sliced onion, cumin, soomph, mustard seed, bayleaves, cinnamon stick, 1 sprig of curry leave, and 1 slit green chilli. Allow to simmer.
  2. When the onions start to turn colour add in the masala and chilli powder . Allow to simmer for a few seconds.
  3. Stir in the ginger and garlic.
  4. Add in the chicken and mix well ensuring that each piece of the chicken is well coated with the masala mixture. Salt is added as per one’s taste.
  5. Simmer until the oil begins to thicken and the chicken starts to fry. Add in the Garum masala and stir.
  6. Add the grated tomatoes with the remainder of the onion (grated), curry leave. The curry should simmer for 3-5 minutes.
  7. In a separate pot add in the additional ingredients listed above and allow the mixture to fry for a few seconds.
  8. Pour the mixture over the curry.
  9. Add in the peas and stir well. Reduce heat.
  10. When the tomatoes have formed a smooth gravy, add in the boiled eggs.
  11. Garnish with coriander (dhania).
  12. Remove from heat and serve hot with the accompaniment of roti, rice or bread.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        *Kashmir Masala, Kashmir Chilli powder, Kashmir Garum marsala off the Gorima’s brand can be used as an alternative to Curry masala, Chilli powder, and Garum masala.