Indian Chicken Curry – Spices, Patience and Tradition

This recipe, passed down by my uncle Nassir, is a vibrant tribute to home cooking, simmered with love. Its secret: a perfectly balanced blend of spices, slowly caramelized onions, and the patience of slow cooking.
Each bite is a journey between sweetness, intensity and shared memories.

Ingredients :

• 1 good farm chicken , cut up

• 4 medium onions

• Neutral oil (sunflower or rapeseed)

• Ghee (or clarified butter)

• 2 black cardamoms

• 6 green cardamoms

• 4 bay leaves

• 1 large stick of Ceylon cinnamon

• 2 sweet peppers (red and green, optional)

• 2 tbsp homemade garlic-ginger paste

• 1 tsp turmeric

• 1 tbsp ground cumin

• 1 tbsp ground coriander

• 2 to 3 tbsp pickle masala

• 4 ripe tomatoes , blended with the skin then passed through a sieve

• 4 potatoes cut into cubes (about 2 cm)

• 1 bunch of fresh coriander (half for cooking, half raw)

• 2 tbsp Greek yogurt

• ½ tbsp garam masala

Preparation :

1. Brown the onions and whole spices
(Option: Place the spices in a small tea bag or cheesecloth for easier removal.)

• Slice the onions.

• Brown them in a mixture of 50% oil / 50% ghee, with:

  • green and black cardamoms

  • bay leaves

  • the cinnamon stick

  • chopped sweet peppers (optional)

Cook over medium heat until the onions become golden brown and caramelized (20 to 30 minutes).

2. Add the powdered spices
Add the garlic-ginger paste, then:

• turmeric

• cumin

• coriander

• pickle masala

Mix well and cook for 2 to 3 minutes to release the aromas, stirring to prevent the bottom from sticking.

3. Add the tomatoes and coriander
Pour in the filtered tomato juice, add half of the chopped fresh coriander.
Simmer for 30 minutes over medium heat, until reduced.

4. Add the yogurt, potatoes and chicken
Add successively:

• Greek yogurt

• cubed potatoes

• chicken, ideally with the carcass for more flavor

Let it cook for 10 minutes, add a little water if necessary, then continue cooking over low heat for another 30 minutes.

5. Finishing
10 minutes before the end, add the garam masala.
Just before serving, stir in the remaining fresh cilantro.

Serve with:

Hot basmati rice, Chapati or lightly toasted homemade naan.

Click on the photos to find our spices: