Topic: South Indian Garlic Chilli Chicken

[Hybrid]

This is a without doubt my all time favorite dish, but having tried a lot of recipe's I'd got not very close tbh, until I happened upon a recipe on some curry forum or other. There are the usual 2 elements, the base gravy and whatever mix powder you prefer. I've used both Indian and Bangladeshi base gravy with good results, and mix powders recipes from various curry chefs. I use a bassar mix for this one because I like it, but I've used many other with good results. In this curry theres a third pre prepared element (not including the meat of course) which is detailed below and imho is the difference between a close second and the real deal, it is the garlic\chilli paste. The recipe for both the curry and the garlic\chilli paste are from a Bangladeshi curry chef who works in a Glasgow restaurant I'm told, but who and where was not disclosed. 

Garlic\Chilli sauce

Ingredients makes approx a jam jar full.

180 g of peeled garlic
25 g of peeled ginger
20 thin green chillies
1 tablespoon of mango chutney
1 teaspoon of lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon of vinegar
1 Tbsp oil

Method

Blend it to a smooth paste, job done.

South Indian Garlic Chilli Chicken

Ingredients

1/4 of a green pepper diced
2 tablespoon of melted ghee
1 tablespoon of garlic/ginger paste
1 heaped teaspoon of garlic chilli sauce
1 tablespoons of tomato paste cut 50/50 with water
1/2 tablespoon of mix powder
1/2 teaspoon of chilli powder
5 thin green chillies (seeds removed, chopped finely)
Pinch of salt
Good pinch of Methi leaves
1 teaspoon of coconut powder
250 ml of base gravy
1/2 tablespoons of sugar
1/4 a teaspoon of garam masala powder
1 good squirt of lemon dressing
2 tablespoons of chopped coriander.
10\12  pre cooked chicken bits ( smallish)

Method

Heat Pan (Moderate)
Add Ghee
Add half of the chopped green chilli's and pepper, cook for 2 minutes
add garlic\ginger paste cook for another two minutes
add tomato paste, mix in and cook through
add lemon, salt and combine
Turn heat up and add mix powder,sugar,coconut flour,chilli powder
fuse the spices.
add about 2 thirds of the base gravy, mix and reduce
Add the pre cooked chicken and Methi and mix in well
add the rest of the gravy, Lower the heat and simmer until the  sauce thickens
now add the garlic\chilli paste you made earlier, remainder of the chillies and garam masala
Simmer for 5 minutes, add coriander and serve.

The garlic\chilli sauce can be frozen, but I'm told the oil added to it preserves it?
The chillies I used in the garlic\chilli sauce are whole. A heaped teaspoon is a good starting point that isn't what non curry lovers would avoid, but you can add to your own taste, obviously. My curry nights consist of everyone wanting South Indian Garlic Chilli chicken and me trying to convince at least some people to try something else!
 Maybe some of you can recommend adjustment? add ingredients?

[goncalo]

Thanks for your report. I've been given this recipe and your report gives me the confidence to go ahead and make the chilli/garlic paste.

[Naga]

This is the recipe I reported on last December - it's from "the other site".

I can certainly confirm that the resulting dish is absolutely delicious and well worth making.

My notes on the dish are here.

[Kashmiri Bob]

Like the look of this recipe a lot.  Not sure about the chicken bits though.

Rob   

[Peripatetic Phil]

Two definite recommendations make it well worth trying, but the image would be clearer if it were smaller.  Below is the same image resized to 720px, which you may be able to copy and use to replace the original. I also increased the colour saturation slightly, as it seemed a little bit washed out.

** Phil.

[goncalo]

I forgot to ask, what type of vinegar on the paste did you guys used?

I have malt vinegar at home, I presume that should suffice?

[Hybrid]

Thanks Phil, yes, the pic was sh!t, sorry! I tried for decent definition, but the result was
2.5 meg, 1 meg over the limit, so... i used a program to reduce the size , but that didn't
 work either, as you can see! my advice is, don't go by the pictures, the finished dish
looks so much better.
@ Goncalo, I used distilled malt vinegar, the clear stuff, but, i can see your problem, malt?
 distilled malt? white wine, red wine? rice? balsamic? all vinegars, each with its own distinctive
 flavour, which, until you use them, you won't know if they will bring a taste you enjoy to the dish, or
taint it. try the safe option, then adapt it to your own taste, every recipe is a starting
 point, there to be adapted, modified and changed to suit individual taste.

[Hybrid]

Like the look of this recipe a lot.  Not sure about the chicken bits though.

Rob 

Elaborate please, I don't understand. 

[uclown2002]

Thanks Phil, yes, the pic was sh!t, sorry! I tried for decent definition, but the result was
2.5 meg, 1 meg over the limit, so... i used a program to reduce the size , but that didn't
 work either, as you can see! my advice is, don't go by the pictures, the finished dish
looks so much better.

MS Paint gets the job done rather easy.

[Kashmiri Bob]

Like the look of this recipe a lot.  Not sure about the chicken bits though.

Rob 

Elaborate please, I don't understand.

Sure. You indicate chicken bits in the recipe.  Now I can see the pic properly they look to be small chunks.  Small chunks are fine.  "Bits" just reminded me of some of the trendy contemporary Indian restaurants I've been in. So, bright lights, no table clothes, small portions, and little pieces of chicken, not much bigger than a cube of sugar.  Recipe looks good. Thanks for posting.  Will probably make it tonight.

Rob