Lahori Chicken Curry with Whole Spices and Potatoes
by Suvir Saran and Stephanie Lyness
from Indian Home Cooking
(Clarkson Potter, 2004)
Serves 4

We have a saying in India that a person who hasn't seen Lahore has yet to be born. Lahore is a city in what is now Pakistan. The hub of land trade between India and the Middle East, it used to be call "the Paris of the East" because it was such an important center of high culture in India. The street foods and meat preparations of Lahore are still legendary. This chicken curry is a staple for Lahoris. The inclusion of potatoes makes it hearty and a wide assortment of spices delivers complexity.

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1. Combine the chicken, potatoes, 1/2 teaspoon of the turmeric, 1/4 teaspoon of the cayenne, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a bowl and stir to coat the chicken and potato with the spices. Let stand while you make the sauce.

2. Finely mince the onions, garlic, and ginger in a food processor and set aside.

3. Combine 2 tablespoons of the oil, the cinnamon stick, cardamom, cloves, black peppercorns, red chiles, coriander, and cumin in a large casserole over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring, until the cinnamon unfurls, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the minced onion mixture, the green chile, and 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, until the vegetables brown around the edges, 10 to 15 minutes.

4. Remove the cinnamon and green chile, and stir in the remaining 1/4 teaspoon turmeric and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne. Add the tomatoes and tomato paste and cook, stirring, 5 minutes. Transfer to a food processor or blender and purée until smooth; set aside.

5. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the same pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and potatoes and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add the yogurt, 1 tablespoon at a time, and stir well after each addition. Cook, stirring, 2 minutes, to evaporate some of the moisture.

6. Add the puréed tomato mixture and bring to a boil. Stir in the water. Return to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes. Stir every 5 to 8 minutes and scrape the bottom of the pan to keep the sauce from sticking. Then uncover and cook 5 more minutes to reduce and thicken. Stir in the cilantro and lemon juice. Taste for salt and serve hot.

 

On 3.22.05 Chris wrote:
A great, easy, satisfying meal! Quite a lot of heat from the spices and ginger; I ended up adding more yogurt to finish (and some currants to add a sweeter tone...). Excellent paired with a spinach salad and some nutty basmati rice.

On 4.10.05 M.J. wrote:
Easy, quick, and greatly satisfying, with flavors similar to what I ate in India. The taste was addictively seductive. I bought the cookbook and paired the recipe with yogurt raita and green beans.

On 3.16.06 Hong H. Tieu wrote:
I didn't find this recipe quick to make, with all the puréeing and blending in between. And the taste was not worth the effort. I've had greater success with other Indian recipes in the past, which I found more flavorful than this one.

On 10.13.07 J.H. wrote:
I did not like the red potatoes in this dish — I would sub sweet potatoes or butternut squash. Many of the spices ended up remaining whole. Watch the number of peppercorns you use — they don't grind up well and I found them overpowering the next day.