Classic Chicken Curry

This is a classic chicken curry recipe, it's not very dynamic, but it's a good introduction for the curry shy and as long as you use the correct techniques it can be very delicious. The first time we made this was before learning how to Bhunao, which is the technique of lightly browning the spices with the onions and ginger garlic pastes. This heats the spices well beyond the boiling point of water which allows the aromatic oils in the spices to be released and to more fully infuse the dish.Without bhunao this dish is quite bland and lacking. It's like a soup without any salt in it. The flavor components are there but the overriding taste is more like cardboard then curry.

 1 lb boneless chicken cubed
2 T oil
1 large onion
2 T ginger garlic paste
2 t garam masala powder
1 t red chilli powder
1 t coriander powder
1 t cumin powder
1 stick cinnamon
1 c yogurt
3/4 C tomato puree
2 medium tomatoes diced
2 medium potatoes diced boiled and drained

Heat oil in a pan add onion, ginger garlic paste and cinnamon stick and saute for four to five minutes. Add the garam masala powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and chicken. Bhunao the mixture by reducing all of the water out of the vegetables and allowing them to stick to the pan lightly, if anything starts to burn add a few tablespoons of water and then repeat try to brown the chicken on all sides. Add the yogurt and tomato puree and diced tomatoes, bring it to a simmer do not boil it or you will make your chicken stringy and dry. Just a light simmer always for proteins. You can either add in the potatoes now or eat them on the side.

Not so Nommy yet.

-NOM!