Tuesday 14 July 2015

Kerala Chicken Curry using Double Horse Curry Mix, "tweaked"





























This is not a food hack but more of a food “tweak”. From time to time, I try pack mixes for curries but have never found one that really works all that well.  I found a new one for Kerala Chicken Curry (it was actually made in Kerala) and decided I’d try it with some modifications. On opening the envelope, it was easy to see that this mixture was quite different to any other that I had used. You could smell the spices and actually see the curry leaves and other ingredients almost as though they were freshly ground. The mixture was dark and rich looking. My “tweaks” involved, using a small amount of Jamaican chicken seasoning and marinating overnight in the refrigerator, dry frying, toasting or “burning” the spices before I added liquid, and as liquid,  I used chicken stock instead of water. The other departure from the recommended recipe was that I used a slow cooker, and decreased the amount of liquid called for in the original recipe. The result is a very satisfying curry, with a rich, dark and thick sauce, perfect to spoon over rice or “sop up” with fresh Naan bread.
Ingredients
1 pack "Double Horse" Kerala Chicken Curry Mix
 2 1/2  lbs chicken meat
3/4 tsp Grace Caribbean Traditions Chicken Seasoning
1 1/4 cup chicken stock (Equivalent of a small tin of Swanson Chicken broth in the US)
5 tbsp cooking oil
Method
1. Season the chicken meat with the chicken seasoning and marinate overnight in refrigerator
2. Heat the cooking oil in a wok and fry the chicken meat until browned in areas. Put in a 2-3 quart size slow cooker
3. Discard the oil, and use a paper towel to wipe the wok clean 
3. Empty the contents of the Kerala Chicken Curry Mix in the wok and "toast" until fragrant. Add the chicken stock and continue cooking for another minute until a paste forms.
4. Pour this mixture over the chicken meat in the slow cooker and cook on high for about 3 hours. Stir occasionally (about twice in the 3 hour period) so that the sauce thickens and coats the meat. Plate and enjoy.


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