Garam Masala (spice mix)
- 1 cinnamon stick, broken into pieces
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/4 cup cumin seeds
- 1/3 cup coriander seeds
- 1 rounded tbsp green cardamom pods
- 1 rounded tbsp black peppercorns
- 3 tsp whole cloves
- 1 whole dried red chili
- 1/8 tsp ground mace
Toast everything EXCEPT the ground mace in heavy frying pan over medium heat, stir constantly, until cumin seeds are uniformly brown, about 4-5 minutes. put in spice grinder (didn't have one so i grounded by hand with mortar and pestle). Finally stir in ground mace and store in air tight container. This makes quite a bit.It's nothing precise, adjust spices and amounts as you want or by what you have on hand. most important flavors seem to be is cumin, cinnamon, and coriander, and cloves in the end.
Chicken Curry with Greens and Garam Masala
- chicken thigh
- salt
- tumeric
- red pepper powder (cayenne or otherwise)
- olive oil
- 1 inch cinnamon stick
- 6 whole cloves
- 8 green cardamom pods
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 large Spanish onion, rough chunks
- 5 garlic cloves
- 2 inch piece of ginger,peeled, in big chunks
- 1 bunch cilantro, use mostly leaves, chopped
- ground coriander
- plain greek yogurt (optional)
- cut chicken thighs into approx. 1 inch chunks. add tumeric powder, red pepper, and salt (up to you how much), toss chicken with hand to coat evenly. let sit to cure while you make the sauce.
- put oil in frying pan over medium high heat. add cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamom pods, coriander seeds, and cumin seeds. stir fry for 1-2 minutes, until cinnamon unfurls (cinnamon doesn't always do this, but cook just till cumin is toasted brown and spices are fragrant). Then add onion, garlic, ginger, and a pinch of salt. keep on medium heat till onion is caramelized and brown on the edges, about 15 minutes.
- Add cilantro (keep tiny bit to sprinkle on top later), ground coriander, garam masala (amount based on your taste), and maybe more salt to taste (remember chicken is slightly salted already too). stir and cook till cilantro just slightly wilted, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
- Put onion/cilantro mixture in food processor and puree, no chunks, but not super smooth, becomes sort of a rough paste/sauce. set aside.
- Add some more oil to frying pan, sear and stir fry chicken chunks briefly, till begin to turn white on the outside. Add all the onion/cilantro sauce to the pan, should immerse most of the chicken. Simmer with lid on for a few minutes, remove lid. it shouldn't be too watery, but a rather thick curry consistency, may want to stir occasionally to make sure onion sauce isn't burning/sticking on the bottom. Taste check, adjust for salt again, cook till chicken just done and tender, shouldn't need more than 10 minutes total.
- Remove from heat. At this point, stir in 2 big spoons of yogurt, makes the taste a little more mild, especially if I added a lot of red pepper in the beginning, sometimes the ginger taste is quite tart too, and a little yogurt mediates it without covering it up. also thins the sauce if too thick, a sprinkle of green cilantro on top and serve.
