So, not gonna lie. Spent most of the last few years cooking Indian food several times a month, sometimes eating it exclusively for weeks at a time. I’m nowhere near as good as any Indian kids grandma, but I figure I’m a notch or two above dumping a jar of Patak’s curry paste into a skillet full of chicken. A few big things:
It’s a great big country with lots of regions and sub-cultures and history. Upside is that this means there’s hundreds of incredible recipes to try. Downside is that there’s almost never “just one way” or even a “right way” to make just about anything.
Fresh, whole spices are really nice; powdered spices bought from good vendors are fine, and pre-made mixes are a decent time-saver. Some whole spices are an absolute bear to deal with (e.g., turmeric, hing), and of course powdered stuff is going to lose potency faster. More than that, though, my big issue with pre-made mixes is that I have no control over proportions. So, for instance, the Chat Masala I bought recently is way too heavy on the black salt (very sulfury) but pretty light on the amchur (not very tangy), and there’s not a lot I can do to “fix” it.
A lot of Indian dishes follow this pattern: 1) A few whole spices (e.g., cumin, cinnamon, clove, mustard seed, bay leaf, red chili, etc.) in hot oil. Then aromatics (e.g., onion, garlic, ginger, green chili, curry leaf). Then, powdered spices/seasonings (e.g., cumin, coriander, chili, salt, pepper, turmeric, etc.). Then, “bulk” and texture (e.g., tomatoes, ground up cashew/almond/sesame paste, coconut flower, etc.). Then “main components” (e.g., chicken, shrimp, paneer, vegetables, etc.). Then, possibly water and/or sauce “finishers” (e.g., cream, yogurt, coconut milk, etc.) and final flavor adjusters (e.g., garam masala, cilantro, lime, tamarind, dried fenugreek/qasuri methi, etc.). The specifics may depend on the region/dish you’re working with, but it’s a pattern you’ll get VERY used to making Indian food from scratch.
I’m of the opinion that Butter Chicken is a great starting point for curry. It’s a common enough dish, so A) it’s tasty, B) you’ve probably had it, and C) ingredients for it tend to be common. B in particular is interesting, since every restaurant makes it a little different, and you’ll be able to sort of “compare and contrast” flavor/texture with what you’ve had before to tweak it to your liking. The recipe as written below is long, since I’m also trying to convey some generally useful knowledge alongside how to make this specific dish. I’m happy to provide a condensed version, too.
So, get thee to an Indian grocer and a supermarket and acquire the following:
[ul]
[li]1.5 lb Chicken Breast, chopped into large (1.5-2") pieces
[/li][li]1 tbsp Oil
[/li][li]1 tsp Cumin Seed
[/li][li]2 medium Red Onions, diced finely
[/li][li]2-3 cloves Garlic, minced*
[/li][li]1.5" piece Ginger, minced/grated*
[/li][li]1-2 Green Chilies, diced (Jalapenos are nice and easy to find, but green Cayenne is perfect)
[/li][li]1 tsp Salt (or to taste)
[/li][li]1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
[/li][li]2 tsp Coriander Powder
[/li][li]1/2 tsp Chili Powder**
[/li][li]2 tsp Paprika**
[/li][li]~3 cups chopped Tomatoes (or about 2 small cans of Diced Tomatoes)
[/li][li]Water
[/li][li]2-4 tbsp Butter
[/li][li]1/4 - 1/2 cup Heavy/Double Cream
[/li][li]1 tbsp Honey
[/li][li]1 tbsp Qasuri Methi***
[/li][li]2 tbsp chopped Cilantro Leaves (if you like them)
[/li][li]1 tsp Garam Masala
[/li][/ul]
- You can make or buy Ginger-Garlic paste instead; about 1 heaping Tablespoon works for this recipe
** Specifically Kashmiri Red Chili Powder if you can find it, not the cumin-rich “mix” meant for American-style beef chili. You can also adjust between the chili powder and paprika to your personal spice preference
*** Qasuri Methi is dried Fenugreek leaves. Hardest thing to find, but VERY pleasant flavor. Crush by hand before dumping in
Brown the chicken pieces in a skillet with a little oil over medium heat; if they don’t totally cook through, it’s alright. Reserve.
In a large stockpot/dutch oven, heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil or butter over medium heat (if using butter, wait till the sizzling subsides a little). Toss in your cumin seeds and fry until fragrant and sizzly–about 15-30 seconds. Add in the diced onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they’re soft and translucent–about 5-7 minutes, depending on your stove.
Add in the ginger and garlic (or paste) and fry for another 2 minutes to cook out the harsh, raw flavors of these ingredients. Then add in the diced green chili/es and cook another minute for similar reasons.
At this point, have your tomatoes “ready to go,” since the next step needs to be a little fast. Dump in your powdered spices/seasonings (turmeric, coriander, chili powder, paprika, and salt) and mix into the onions, letting the direct heat “wake up” the spices. The mixture will almost immediately dry up and darken, so add in the chopped tomatoes (and maybe even a little bit of water) to keep it from sticking/burning.
Cook the tomatoes for about 8-10 minutes until completely softened and little bits of oil are sort of pooling around/on top of the mixture in the pot. At this point, add a little water (no more than 1/2 cup to start with), and if you like very “smooth” curries, use an immersion blender or similar to process it all into a smooth paste.
Add in your cooked chicken and butter and simmer for about 5 minutes over medium-low heat. At this time, you can add your cream, honey, chopped cilantro, qasuri methi (remember to crush it), and garam masala. Taste the mixture for seasoning and check the texture: you can always add a little more salt, honey, or water to your preference.
Serve over basmati rice (there’s a whole other post) and, optionally, with some naan or parathas. Frozen are fine to start with, but making 'em by hand is a real pleasure!
