Topic: New Quick Chicken Madras

[976bar]

Last night I wanted a Chicken Madras but had no base sauce to hand so I improvised with some basic ingredients to form a quick base sauce. This was delicious.

Ingredients
2-3 Chicken Breasts cut into cubes
3 tbsp oil
1 Onion finely chopped
1 tsp Ginger grated
1 tsp Garlic finely chopped
3 tomatoes cut into quarters
2 fresh green finger chillies finely sliced
2-3 tbsp plain yogurt
2 tsp red chilli powder (Deghi Mirch) (add more if you like it hotter)
2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp tomato puree
Pinch Methi (Fenugreek Leaves)
Good squeeze of Lemon Juice
1 tsp turmeric

Whole Garam Masala:
3 green cardamoms slightly cracked
6 black peppercorns
4 cloves
1 tsp cumin seeds

Heat some oil in a pan and add the turmeric. Fry gently for 30 seconds add the chicken and brown the meat on all sides then remove to a dish.

Boil the onions in some water until soft. Remove from the water and drain.

Base sauce:
Blend the yogurt, tomatoes and cooked onions to form a sauce, add a little water if too thick.

Heat the oil in a pan and add the garlic, ginger and green chillis and fry gently for 1 minute or until the garlic and ginger take on a slightly golden colour but not brown.

Add the whole Garam masala - Cardamoms, Peppercorns, Cloves and Cumin seeds and fry gently for about 1 minute.

Add the Red chilli powder, Coriander powder and Tomato puree and fry gently for around 30 seconds

Add the base sauce and fry for 5-6 minutes, add water to the consistency you require.

Add the Methi and Lemon juice and the Chicken and cook until the Chicken is done.

[chriswg]

Looks nice!

Do you leave the cardamoms and cloves in and eat them, or do you fish them out? For me there is nothing worse than munching down on a whole clove in Pilau rice.

[976bar]

Looks nice!

Do you leave the cardamoms and cloves in and eat them, or do you fish them out? For me there is nothing worse than munching down on a whole clove in Pilau rice.

Your absolutely right Chris, I fish them out, I hate that too, albeit I forgot one of the cardamoms last night and crunched on it. The kids said I had a face like a bulldog chewing a wasp!!

[chriswg]

 ;D

[Secret Santa]

The kids said I had a face like a bulldog chewing a wasp!!

Was that before or after you chewed on the cardamom?  ;D

[JerryM]

it funny how our tastes are so different - crunching on a cooked cardamom surrounded by a little curry is what dreams are made of for me.

976bar,

ps have u tried the yogurt before. i'm interested as i used for the 1st time in chriswg's curry in a hurry and thought i might just have something. i've not managed to use it myself since but have it on the list to try.

[976bar]

it funny how our tastes are so different - crunching on a cooked cardamom surrounded by a little curry is what dreams are made of for me.

976bar,

ps have u tried the yogurt before. i'm interested as i used for the 1st time in chriswg's curry in a hurry and thought i might just have something. i've not managed to use it myself since but have it on the list to try.

Hi Jerry,

I haven't used it in a Madras before but yes with other dishes. I found it added depth to the basic sauce I made. I'll certainly try it again and experiment.

P.S. So today is the big today for the Piri Piri eh? 

[Spottymaldoon]

I just tried this recipe, not having the time to create all those sub-components. I am a veteran cook of 50 years worth of nice, wholesome home-made curries - BUT I have never yet cooked something which, if served to me in an Indian restaurant, would bring a knowing smile to my face. My home-made always tastes home-made by that standard.

OK, so I tried this recipe and it was excellent; very delicious and the spices and flavours were marked and well balanced. Smoky taste? No, sorry. Just a really, really good home-made curry. Thank you and I did enjoy it!

[976bar]

OK, so I tried this recipe and it was excellent; very delicious and the spices and flavours were marked and well balanced. Smoky taste? No, sorry. Just a really, really good home-made curry. Thank you and I did enjoy it!
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I'm glad you enjoyed it Spottymaldoon

[ritchie]

How many servings from this recipe please? Im trying to scale it up for 6 people but i know that it isnt as simple as multiplying the ingredients by 6. Any help would be appreciated.