Topic: CA's Chicken Madras

[Cory Ander]

CA's Chicken Madras (medium hot, spicy sauce)

(serves 1-2)

Ingredients:

- 300g skinless chicken breast (chopped into approximately 1 inch cubes)
- 75 ml spiced oil (here: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3295.msg34667#msg34667)
- 1 tsp fresh garlic (pureed)
- 0.5 tsp fresh ginger (pureed)
- 1 tbsp tomato paste (diluted to a puree with 3 tbsp water)
- 300ml curry base (here: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3772.0)
- 1 tsp curry masala (here: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3765.0)
- 1 tsp curry powder (any decent mild or medium one, or paste, will do)
- 1 tsp chili powder (or more to taste)
- 0.25 tsp tandoori masala (here: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=1514.0) - optional
- 0.5 tsp salt (or to taste)
- 2 tsp sugar (or to taste)
- 1 tsp lemon juice (or to taste)
- fresh chopped coriander (to taste)
- fresh chillies (optional)

Method:

- Heat curry base to a gentle simmer
- Heat oil in suitable pan (I use a cast iron wok) until almost smoking
- Add chicken and fry for a couple of minutes, on high heat, with continuous stirring, until sealed (i.e. just white on the outside)
- Add garlic and ginger (and fresh chillies, if using) and fry, for a minute or so, with continuous stirring (do not burn!)
- Remove from heat and add chilli powder, curry masala, curry powder (or paste) and tandoori masala (if using)
- Stir, to coat the chicken, and return to heat
- Immediately add tomato puree, stirring continuously
- Fry for 30 seconds or so, on high heat, with continuous stirring (do not burn!)
- Add a ladle of curry base and stir
- Continue to add the curry base, a ladle at a time, stirring occasionally as the water evaporates and the sauce thickens
- Add salt, sugar and lemon juice to taste and stir
- Continue to simmer, on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the oil begins to separate (5 to 10 minutes)
- Add fresh coriander to taste
- Serve

Notes:

- You can use any other oil (e.g. vegetable oil, sunflower oil or canola oil) rather than spiced oil, if you prefer, but the result may be different
- You can use any other decent, mildly spiced, curry base, if you prefer, but the result may be different
- You can use any other decent spice mix or curry powder, or paste, in place of the masala, if you prefer, but the result may be different
- You can use any other precooked meat (or prawns) - just add it, after adding the first ladle of curry base, and make sure it is heated thoroughly

Below is a photo of the resultant chicken madras:

[Bobby Bhuna]

Phwoar!  ;D Curry porn!

[steveelsley]

Did this last night. Was fantastic!. Many thanks

[Cory Ander]

Glad it worked for you Steveelsley 

[pforkes]

Here's a chicken madras I made, last week, using this recipe:



I used Cory Ander's spicy oil and curry base, for this recipe.

I'll be making this again.

[Cory Ander]

Hi PF,

Have you mixed up your dhansak and madras photos by any chance?  This looks more like the dhansak to me, given it's paler colour and thicker consistency?

Thanks for trying the recipe and for posting your results with photos....how did it taste?

[joshallen2k]

Have you mixed up your dhansak and madras photos by any chance?

I was thinking the same thing.

Great work pforkes!

[pforkes]

Nope, the photos are correct...I made them a few days apart, so I know they are right.

It tasted DAMN good!!!

[blanchy]

Did this earlier today - made a couple of alterations but it turned out great - was really surprised. Will definitely be doing again shortly.

-KD base
-3 or 4 tbsp vegetable oil
-added 1 pepper + 1/2 onion
-used the chicken tikka from here - http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=1555.0





I'm a little worried with the amount of oil going in overall, so I'm going to start cutting down gradually. Which area is best to cut down on the oil out of - the base or when making the madras sauce?

I think for mild and creamy curries such as CTM a base extremely low on oil would be ok because a lot of the flavour seems to come from the creamed coconut and the cream, but for the madras I think the oil is harder to cut out. Any thoughts? Thanks

[joshallen2k]

Which area is best to cut down on the oil out of - the base or when making the madras sauce?

For savoury curries, like Madras as you mention, I feel plenty of oil is important to ensuring the spices fry properly. I prefer to spoon off excess oil at the very end of cooking. It should be well separated and easy to scoop off.