Chicken Curry with Ginger and Red Pepper Served with Pilau Rice

Ingredients

Contains: milk (auto-detected from the ingredients and method; we can miss things, so check labels)

• 4 tbsp vegetable oil
• 8 chicken thighs
• 2 large onions
• 5 garlic, 5cm/2in piece root ginger
• 1 large red pepper
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 3 tbsp mild curry paste
• 1 tbsp garam masala
• 1 tbsp dry fenugreek
• 1 tbsp ground coriander
• ¼ root turmeric
• 1 fresh red chilli
• ½ bunch fresh coriander
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• ½ tsp cumin
• 3 cardamom
• 1 cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 500g/1lb 2oz basmati rice
• 1 tsp salt
• 50g/1¾oz unsalted butter

Directions

Method written by CompKitchen from the ingredient list. Not the original author's method, not kitchen-tested.

1. Rinse the basmati rice in cold water until it runs mostly clear, then soak it in cold water for 20 minutes and drain.

2. Peel and finely chop the onions, garlic and root ginger. Deseed and slice the red pepper, finely chop the red chilli, and pat the chicken thighs dry.

3. Heat 4 tbsp vegetable oil in a large heavy pan over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken thighs in batches for 3 to 4 minutes per side, then set aside.

4. Lower the heat to medium and add 1 tbsp vegetable oil, the cumin, cardamom, cinnamon and bay leaf. Fry for 1 minute, then add the onions and cook for 10 minutes until golden.

5. Add the garlic, ginger and red chilli and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the curry paste, garam masala, fenugreek, ground coriander, turmeric, black pepper and tomato purée and cook for 2 minutes.

6. Return the chicken to the pan with the red pepper and any juices. Add enough water to come about halfway up the chicken, cover and simmer gently for 35 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part.

7. For the rice, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the drained rice and stir for 1 minute, then add the salt and enough boiling water to cover the rice generously.

8. Bring the rice back to a boil, then cover, reduce to low and cook for 12 minutes. Turn off the heat and rest, covered, for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

9. Roughly chop the fresh coriander, stir most of it into the curry and scatter the rest on top. Serve the curry with the pilau rice.