Curry of the week : 24-August-97

Chicken Kashmiri

Ingredients

• 450g (1 lb) chicken breast
• 1 piece cinnamon bark
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 3 green cardamom pods
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 600 ml (1 pint) milk
• 150 ml (1/4 pint) evaporated milk
• 150 ml (1/4) pint natural yoghurt
• 2 tablspoons plain flour
• 1 teaspoon chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon ginger pulp
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic pulp
• pinch of salt
• 300 ml (1/2 pint) corn oil

Method

• Remove bones and skin from the chicken breast and cut into medium sized pieces. Place the pieces in a large saucepan with the cinnamon bark, bay leaf, fennel seeds, peppercorns, cardamoms, salt and milk. Bring them to the boil over a high heat.
• Lower the heat and cook for 12-15 minutes or until the milk has reduced to about half its original volume. At this stage, add the evaporated milk and lower the heat further. Simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the milk has evaporated.
• While the chicken is cooking, blend together the yoghurt, flour, chilli powder, ginger, garam masala, garlic and a pinch of salt in a mixing bowl.
• Remove the chicken from the saucepan and discard the whole spices. Add the chicken to the spicy yoghurt mixture.
• Heat the oil in a deep, round bottomed frying pan such as a wok or kahari. Lower the heat slightly and add the chicken. Fry until it is golden brown, turning once or twice as it cooks.

Serves 4.