Curry of the week : 28-September-97

Balti Chicken with Tamarind

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons tomato ketchup
• 1 tablespoon tamarind paste
• 4 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon chilli powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2.5 cm (1 inch) piece ginger, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 tablespoons desiccated coconut
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 675 g (1 1/2 lb) chicken breast, cubed
• 5 tablespoons corn oil
• 8 tablespoons curry leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon onion seeds
• 3 dried, birds eye chillies
• 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek leaves
• 10-12 cherry tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander
• 2 fresh green chillies, chopped

Method

• Place the tomato ketchup, tamarind paste and water in a large mixing bowl and blend together with a fork.
• Add the chilli powder, salt, sugar, ginger, garlic, coconut, sesame and poppy seeds, ground cumin and ground coriander to the mixture.
• Add the cubed chicken cube and stir until well coated with the spice mixture. Set to one side.
• Heat the oil in a deep frying pan such as a wok or kahari. Add the curry leaves, onion seeds, dried red chillies and fenugreek seeds and fry for about a minute.
• Lower the heat to medium and add the chicken and sauce. Stir the chicken around well with a slotted spoon.
• Simmer gently for about 12-15 minutes, or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked.
• Add the tomatoes, fresh coriander and green chillies and serve.

Serves 4.