Chicken Curry with Yogurt, Cilantro, and Zucchini
By America's Test KitchenPublished on May 20, 2011
Time
1¼ hours
Yield
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
Whole Spice Blend
1 ½ cinnamon sticks (3-inches each)4 whole cloves 4 green cardamom pods 8 black peppercorns 1 bay leafCurry
¼ cup vegetable oil (or canola oil)1 medium onion, sliced thin4 large cloves garlic, pureed1 ½ inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and pureed6 chicken thighs, skinned2 teaspoons ground cumin 2 teaspoons ground coriander 1 teaspoon ground turmeric ½ teaspoon table salt, plus more to taste½ cup plain low-fat yogurt 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves 1 jalapeño chile, stemmed and cut in half through the stem end4 medium zucchini, cut into ½-inch cubes2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leavesBefore You Begin
Gather and prepare all of your ingredients before you begin. Garlic and ginger may be pureed by hand or in a minichop food processor. If using a minichopper, process the garlic and ginger with one to two tablespoons of water until pureed. You may substitute a scant half teaspoon of cayenne pepper for the jalapeño, adding it to the skillet with the other ground dried spices. Feel free to increase the wet (garlic, ginger, jalapeños, and onions) or dry spice quantities. Serve the curry with basmati rice.
Instructions
- Heat oil in large deep skillet or soup kettle, preferably nonstick, over medium-high heat until hot, but not smoking. Add whole spice blend to oil and cook, stirring with wooden spoon until cinnamon stick unfurls and cloves pop, about 5 seconds. Add onion to skillet; sauté until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Stir in garlic, ginger, chicken, ground spices, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and yogurt; cook, stirring almost constantly, until liquid evaporates, oil separates and turns orange, and spices begin to fry, 5 to 7 minutes, depending on skillet or kettle size. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until spices smell cooked, about 30 seconds longer.
- Stir in cilantro. Add 2 cups water and jalapeño and season with salt; bring to simmer. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until meat is tender, 20 to 30 minutes.
- Add zucchini; cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in cilantro. Simmer 3 minutes longer and serve.
Time
1¼ hoursYield
Serves 4 to 6Ingredients
Whole Spice Blend
Curry
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Whole Spice Blend
Curry
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Whole Spice Blend
Curry
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
For a deeply flavored curry, we fried or roasted the whole spices and then added the aromatic ginger and garlic with the meat and liquid ingredients. When the meat was fully cooked, we finished by adding the vegetables and cooking until all the ingredients were melded and tender.
Before You Begin
Gather and prepare all of your ingredients before you begin. Garlic and ginger may be pureed by hand or in a minichop food processor. If using a minichopper, process the garlic and ginger with one to two tablespoons of water until pureed. You may substitute a scant half teaspoon of cayenne pepper for the jalapeño, adding it to the skillet with the other ground dried spices. Feel free to increase the wet (garlic, ginger, jalapeños, and onions) or dry spice quantities. Serve the curry with basmati rice.
Instructions
- Heat oil in large deep skillet or soup kettle, preferably nonstick, over medium-high heat until hot, but not smoking. Add whole spice blend to oil and cook, stirring with wooden spoon until cinnamon stick unfurls and cloves pop, about 5 seconds. Add onion to skillet; sauté until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Stir in garlic, ginger, chicken, ground spices, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and yogurt; cook, stirring almost constantly, until liquid evaporates, oil separates and turns orange, and spices begin to fry, 5 to 7 minutes, depending on skillet or kettle size. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until spices smell cooked, about 30 seconds longer.
- Stir in cilantro. Add 2 cups water and jalapeño and season with salt; bring to simmer. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until meat is tender, 20 to 30 minutes.
- Add zucchini; cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in cilantro. Simmer 3 minutes longer and serve.
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