Recipes, re-invented from cooking shows
Papa Khan's Chicken Curry
Prep. Time:
Baking Time:
Total Time:
30 mins
1 hour 15 mins
1 hour 45 mins
Serves:
4 servings
Shakira created this dish for Celebrity MasterChef UK ™ Series 21. Her father's home-style chicken and potato curry, built on a deep-browned onion base, was praised by both judges for its spicing and its elegantly presented mint chutney and yogurt. This Fix-It version keeps that curry intact while g...
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Ingredients
FOR THE MIXED-SPICE INFUSED BROWN RICE: 1 1/2 cups (280 g) brown basmati rice 1 tbsp (15 g) ghee or neutral oil 4 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed 2 bay leaves 1 tsp (2 g) fennel seeds 2 3/4 cups (660 ml) water 3/4 tsp (4.5 g) fine salt
FOR THE CURRY: 3 tbsp (45 ml) neutral oil 3 large yellow onions (about 600 g), thinly sliced 1 1/2 tsp (9 g) fine salt, divided 6 garlic cloves, finely grated 1 tbsp (15 g) fresh ginger, finely grated 1 tsp (3 g) Kashmiri chili powder, or to taste 2 tsp (4 g) ground coriander 1 tsp (2 g) ground cumin 1/2 tsp (1.5 g) ground turmeric 1 cup (240 g) canned chopped tomatoes 12 oz (340 g) waxy potatoes, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) water 1 1/2 lb (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces 1 tsp (2 g) garam masala Small handful fresh cilantro, chopped
FOR THE MINT CHUTNEY: 1 cup packed (30 g) fresh mint leaves 1/2 cup packed (15 g) fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems 1 green chili, seeded for less heat 2 tbsp (30 ml) lemon juice 1/4 tsp (1.5 g) fine salt 2–3 tbsp (30–45 ml) cold water
FOR THE YOGURT: 1 cup (245 g) plain whole-milk yogurt Pinch of fine salt
EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven with a lid Medium heavy saucepan with a tight-fitting lid Fine-mesh sieve Blender or small food processor Instant-read thermometer
Method
STEP 1: RINSE AND SOAK THE RICE
Rinse the brown basmati in a fine-mesh sieve under cold running water, swirling with your fingers, until the water runs clear. Soak in plenty of cold water for 30 minutes, then drain well. Rinsing and soaking remove loose surface starch so the grains cook up separate rather than clumping.
STEP 2: BUILD THE ONION BASE
While the rice soaks, heat the oil in the large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and a pinch of the salt and cook, stirring often, for 20–25 minutes until deep golden brown and soft. Do not rush this stage: the generous onion base is where the curry's home-style depth comes from.
STEP 3: BLOOM THE AROMATICS AND SPICES
Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the Kashmiri chili powder, coriander, cumin and turmeric and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and the remaining salt and cook, stirring, for 8–10 minutes until the oil begins to separate at the edges of the masala.
STEP 4: COOK THE POTATOES FIRST
Add the potatoes and the 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) water. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes, until a knife meets only slight resistance at the center. Potatoes need far longer than chicken, so giving them a head start means the chicken never has to wait for them.
STEP 5: START THE RICE
While the potatoes simmer, melt the ghee in the rice saucepan over medium heat. Add the cardamom pods, bay leaves and fennel seeds and toast for 30–45 seconds until fragrant. Add the drained rice and stir gently for 1 minute to coat. Pour in the measured 2 3/4 cups (660 ml) water and the salt, bring to a full boil, then cover tightly, turn the heat to its lowest setting and cook undisturbed for 35 minutes. The rice absorbs a measured amount of spiced liquid under the lid, which keeps the grains separate and seasons every one.
STEP 6: ADD THE CHICKEN LATE
Once the potatoes are nearly tender, stir in the chicken, making sure every piece is submerged. Cover and simmer gently for 15–18 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) on an instant-read thermometer and the potatoes are fully tender. Keep it at a bare simmer, not a boil, so the thigh meat stays juicy. Stir in the garam masala, taste for salt and finish with the chopped cilantro.
STEP 7: REST AND FLUFF THE RICE
Take the rice off the heat and leave it covered for 10 minutes. Remove the cardamom pods and bay leaves, then fluff gently with a fork, lifting rather than stirring.
STEP 8: MAKE THE MINT CHUTNEY
Blend the mint, cilantro, green chili, lemon juice and salt in a blender or small food processor, adding just enough cold water to form a smooth, spoonable sauce. Taste and adjust the salt and lemon.
STEP 9: PREPARE THE YOGURT
Stir the yogurt with a pinch of salt until smooth and glossy. Keep both sauces chilled until serving.
STEP 10: PLATE
Spoon a neat mound of rice onto each plate and ladle the curry alongside. Add the mint chutney and yogurt in separate, tidy spoonfuls so the two sauces stay clean and distinct.
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Instructions
FOR THE MIXED-SPICE INFUSED BROWN RICE:
1 1/2 cups (280 g) brown basmati rice
1 tbsp (15 g) ghee or neutral oil
4 green cardamom pods,(/interesting-ingredients/green-cardamom-pods) lightly crushed
2 bay leaves
(/interesting-ingredients/bay-leaf)1 tsp (2 g) fennel seeds
(/interesting-ingredients/fennel-seeds)2 3/4 cups (660 ml) water
3/4 tsp (4.5 g) fine salt
FOR THE CURRY:
3 tbsp (45 ml) neutral oil
3 large yellow onions (about 600 g), thinly sliced
1 1/2 tsp (9 g) fine salt, divided
6 garlic cloves, finely grated
1 tbsp (15 g) fresh ginger, finely grated
1 tsp (3 g) Kashmiri chili powder,(/interesting-ingredients/kashmiri-chili-powder) or to taste
2 tsp (4 g) ground coriander
(/interesting-ingredients/ground-coriander)1 tsp (2 g) ground cumin
(/interesting-ingredients/ground-cumin)1/2 tsp (1.5 g) ground turmeric
(/interesting-ingredients/ground-turmeric)1 cup (240 g) canned chopped tomatoes
12 oz (340 g) waxy potatoes, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks
1 1/2 cups (360 ml) water
1 1/2 lb (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 tsp (2 g) garam masala
(/interesting-ingredients/garam-masala)Small handful fresh cilantro, chopped
FOR THE MINT CHUTNEY:
1 cup packed (30 g) fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup packed (15 g) fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
1 green chili, seeded for less heat
2 tbsp (30 ml) lemon juice
1/4 tsp (1.5 g) fine salt
2–3 tbsp (30–45 ml) cold water
FOR THE YOGURT:
1 cup (245 g) plain whole-milk yogurt
Pinch of fine salt
EQUIPMENT NEEDED:
Large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven (/cooking-equipment/dutch-oven)with a lid
Medium heavy saucepan with a tight-fitting lid
Fine-mesh sieve
Blender or small food processor
Instant-read thermometer(/cooking-equipment/instant-read-thermometer)
Heading 5
Ingredients
STEP 1: RINSE AND SOAK THE RICE
Rinse the brown basmati in a fine-mesh sieve under cold running water, swirling with your fingers, until the water runs clear. Soak in plenty of cold water for 30 minutes, then drain well. Rinsing and soaking remove loose surface starch so the grains cook up separate rather than clumping.
STEP 2: BUILD THE ONION BASE
While the rice soaks, heat the oil in the large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and a pinch of the salt and cook, stirring often, for 20–25 minutes until deep golden brown and soft. Do not rush this stage: the generous onion base is where the curry's home-style depth comes from.
STEP 3: BLOOM THE AROMATICS AND SPICES
Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the Kashmiri chili powder, coriander, cumin and turmeric and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and the remaining salt and cook, stirring, for 8–10 minutes until the oil begins to separate at the edges of the masala.
STEP 4: COOK THE POTATOES FIRST
Add the potatoes and the 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) water. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes, until a knife meets only slight resistance at the center. Potatoes need far longer than chicken, so giving them a head start means the chicken never has to wait for them.
STEP 5: START THE RICE
While the potatoes simmer, melt the ghee in the rice saucepan over medium heat. Add the cardamom pods, bay leaves and fennel seeds and toast for 30–45 seconds until fragrant. Add the drained rice and stir gently for 1 minute to coat. Pour in the measured 2 3/4 cups (660 ml) water and the salt, bring to a full boil, then cover tightly, turn the heat to its lowest setting and cook undisturbed for 35 minutes. The rice absorbs a measured amount of spiced liquid under the lid, which keeps the grains separate and seasons every one.
STEP 6: ADD THE CHICKEN LATE
Once the potatoes are nearly tender, stir in the chicken, making sure every piece is submerged. Cover and simmer gently for 15–18 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) on an instant-read thermometer and the potatoes are fully tender. Keep it at a bare simmer, not a boil, so the thigh meat stays juicy. Stir in the garam masala, taste for salt and finish with the chopped cilantro.
STEP 7: REST AND FLUFF THE RICE
Take the rice off the heat and leave it covered for 10 minutes. Remove the cardamom pods and bay leaves, then fluff gently with a fork, lifting rather than stirring.
STEP 8: MAKE THE MINT CHUTNEY
Blend the mint, cilantro, green chili, lemon juice and salt in a blender or small food processor, adding just enough cold water to form a smooth, spoonable sauce. Taste and adjust the salt and lemon.
STEP 9: PREPARE THE YOGURT
Stir the yogurt with a pinch of salt until smooth and glossy. Keep both sauces chilled until serving.
STEP 10: PLATE
Spoon a neat mound of rice onto each plate and ladle the curry alongside. Add the mint chutney and yogurt in separate, tidy spoonfuls so the two sauces stay clean and distinct.
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