Chicken Madras comes from the southern region of India, specifically Chennai (formerly known as Madras), which gives the dish its name. It’s a bold and spicy curry with a harmonious blend of heat, spice and earthy flavours. The recipe typically includes chicken, tomatoes, aromatic spices and coconut milk.
Ingredients:
- 1 onion, peeled and quartered
- 2 cloves of garlic
- thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled
- ½ red chilli
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1-2 tsp hot chilli powder (to taste)
- 4 chicken breasts, cut into pieces
- 400g (14oz) tin of chopped tomatoes
- small packet of chopped coriander
- rice, naan and mango chutney to serve
Method of cooking:
In a food processor, pulse the onion, garlic, ginger and red chilli to a coarse paste.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large saucepan and add the paste. Fry for 5 minutes until soft.
Add the turmeric, ground cumin, ground coriander and chilli powder. Stir well and cook for a few minutes.
Add the chicken breasts, making sure they are covered in the spice mixture.
Cook until the chicken begins to turn pale, adding a small splash of water if it sticks to the pan.
Pour in the chopped tomatoes, add a large pinch of salt, cover and simmer on a low heat for 30 minutes or until the chicken is tender.
Stir in the chopped coriander and serve with rice, naan and mango chutney.
