Nepalese chicken curry
You'd think you're at the foothills of the Himalayas with this Nepalese chicken curry recipe. It's simply bursting with flavour and complexity. Marinated with a blend of aromatic, toasted spices and yoghurt, this Nepali curry is the perfect representation of the rich and diverse cuisine of this wonderful country.
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Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 769kcal
Equipment
- 1 Large pot or pan suitable for both hob and oven use
Ingredients
- 8 cardamom pods
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 200 grams Greek yoghurt - or other plain full fat yoghurt
- 3 teaspoons garlic paste - or 3 cloves, minced
- 3 teaspoons ginger paste - or freshly grated
- 1 kilogram chicken thighs - skin on, bone in
- 3 tablespoons olive oil - or vegetable oil
- 200 grams chopped onion - equivalent to 2 medium onions
- 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
- 6 whole cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon chilli powder - or more to taste
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 250 millilitre chicken stock - made with one full stock cube
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tin chopped tomatoes - circa 400g - or 4-5 medium sized fresh tomatoes, chopped
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon salt - or to taste
- handful chopped coriander for serving - optional
Instructions
Preparing the chicken
- Shell the cardamom pods and remove the seeds.8 cardamom pods
- Add the cardamom seeds along with the fennel seeds to a small frying pan.1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- Fry the seeds together over medium-high heat for around 2 minutes or until you can see a few seeds 'popping' and they smell fragrant. Keep shaking the pan and be careful not to burn them.
- Add the toasted seeds to a mortar and pestle and grind them down finely.
- Add the yoghurt to a large bowl. Add the toasted spices along with the garlic and ginger pastes to the yoghurt. Combine well.200 grams Greek yoghurt, 3 teaspoons garlic paste, 3 teaspoons ginger paste
- Add the chicken thighs to the yoghurt marinade and coat well on all sides.1 kilogram chicken thighs
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and transfer to the fridge to marinade for a minimum of two hours, or longer if you wish, like overnight.
To make the curry
- Preheat the oven to 180℃/356℉/gas mark 4.
- Remove the chicken from the yoghurt marinade, scraping off as much of the yoghurt as possible. Reserve the leftover yoghurt for later.
- Heat the oil in a large oven-proof pan or saucepan (we use a large cast iron pot).3 tablespoons olive oil
- Add the chicken to the hot pan. On a medium-high heat, fry the chicken pieces 5-6 minutes on one side. Turn over and fry for a further 3 minutes. The chicken doesn't have to be cooked through, just well-browned.
- Transfer the chicken pieces to a plate.
- In the same pan, add the chopped onions, cumin seeds and cloves. Over medium heat, sauté the onions and spices together for roughly 7 minutes or until the onions are golden brown in colour.200 grams chopped onion, 2 teaspoons cumin seeds, 6 whole cloves
- Add the ground cinnamon, turmeric, nutmeg, chilli powder and ground coriander and fry together with the onions for 1 minute more.1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1½ teaspoon ground turmeric, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ½ teaspoon chilli powder, 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- Add the chicken stock to the pan along with the tablespoon of sugar. Deglaze the pan by scraping the bottom with a wooden spatula or large spoon to incorporate the burned bits sticking to the bottom (flavour!).250 millilitre chicken stock, 1 tablespoon sugar
- Allow the stock to simmer for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the chopped, tinned tomatoes, leftover yoghurt marinade, bay leaves and salt to the pan.1 tin chopped tomatoes - circa 400g, 3 bay leaves, 1 teaspoon salt
- Over low heat, bring the sauce back up to a light simmer and then remove it from the heat.
- Place the chicken thighs on top of the sauce along with any chicken juices remaining on the plate.
- Cook uncovered in the preheated oven for 45 minutes until the meat is cooked through.
- Sprinkle with optional chopped coriander and serve hot with rice or naan bread.handful chopped coriander for serving
**Nutritional data disclaimer**
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is calculated by a third party and we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We try our best to give you the most accurate information, but we do not take responsibility for errors that may be present. Also, the nutritional value of the recipe may change depending on the exact brands and products used. We recommend that you consult with a qualified healthcare professional or registered dietitian for personalised advice on your dietary needs.
Nutrition
Calories: 769kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 49g | Fat: 55g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 26g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 250mg | Sodium: 904mg | Potassium: 774mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 286IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 144mg | Iron: 4mg