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Chicken Curry with Cauliflower and Peas

Chicken Curry with Cauliflower and Peas

Course Entree
Cuisine Indian
Author TheSpicedLife

Ingredients

  • 1-2 T vegetable oil
  • 3 lbs chicken pieces with or without bone and skin
  • 1 T dark mustard seeds
  • 1 T cumin seeds
  • 3 medium onions, chopped
  • salt to taste
  • water
  • 10 oz sliced crimini mushrooms
  • 1 t turmeric
  • 1 t ground chile pepper, heat to taste (paprika for mild, cayenne for hot)
  • 2 T minced garlic
  • 2 T ginger paste
  • 2 T double strength tomato paste
  • 1 t garam masala, plus more later
  • 1 T ground coriander
  • 1 1/2 t ground cumin
  • 6-8 medium tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 head cauliflower broken into bite sized florets
  • 2/3 cup full fat yogurt or sour cream
  • 2-3 T brown sugar, to taste
  • 3 cups peas
  • 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
  • 1 t garam masala to taste

Instructions

  1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. Brown the chicken pieces--do not overcrowd the pan, it will probably take at least 2 batches. Remove the chicken to a bowl to rest for a bit.
  2. Add the mustard seeds to the pan and place a lid slightly ajar over the pot. When the seeds slow in their popping, add the cumin seeds. Let them roast for a minute or so, until fragrant.
  3. Add the chopped onion to the pot with a pinch of salt. At this point, I like to keep a cup of water by the pot. If anything is scorching or sticking, add a splash of water to deglaze.
  4. When the onions are golden, add the mushrooms with another pinch of salt. Stir occasionally, until the mushrooms release their water and start to brown.
  5. Add the turmeric, ground chile pepper, garlic and ginger. Stir. Add the tomato paste, stir, and let cook, stirring often, for 2-3 minutes.
  6. Add the teaspoon of garam masala, ground coriander and ground cumin. Stir in and cook until fragrant, 30-60 seconds.
  7. Add the tomatoes with a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and add the chicken. When it is simmering, cover and reduce to heat to maintain the barest simmer. Let the chicken cook for 15 minutes.
  8. Stir in the cauliflower and return to a simmer. Cover and again lower the heat to maintain a very gentle simmer.

  9. Let cook for 10-15 minutes--when the chicken is cooked through and the cauliflower is crisp tender, add the peas (if using fresh, let them cook for 5 minutes, but as I always use frozen I just heat them through). Place the yogurt (or sour cream0 in a medium-small bowl, and add sauce from the cooking curry by the spoonful to the yogurt, whisking the sauce in each time. When the yogurt sauce is quite warm, mix it back into the sauce. Depending on your cooktop, either turn the heat off or keep it quite low. You do not want to bring the curry to a hard boil and break the yogurt, you just want it to mix in and blend with the whole and be heated through.

  10. Add the 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, the cilantro and 1 teaspoon garam masala. Stir in and taste for more brown sugar, garam masala or salt. Serve with hot basmati rice.