Curry's roots lie in South Asia, with the word itself likely derived from a Tamil term for sauce. European colonizers encountered these diverse spiced dishes in India, but often grouped them under the umbrella term curry. This led to the creation of curry powder in the West, a blend meant to capture the essence of Indian cuisine. This past week I tried my best to create a delicious curry dish.
Ingredients
Spice Blend
1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp fennel seeds, crushed in a small bag with a meat mallet
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp ground mustard
1/4 tsp ground cloves
Curry
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped (1 cup)
4 garlic cloves, minced (1 1/2 Tbsp)
1 Tbsp peeled and minced fresh ginger
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup drained canned diced tomatoes or peeled, seeded, diced fresh tomatoes
Salt
Cayenne pepper, to taste
1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced into 1 1/4-inch cubes
1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tsp water (optional)
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp chopped cilantro
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