Goan Chicken Curry

Serves 2

Takes 1 hour 30 minutes

A proper curry cooked from scratch can be a labour of love but really is worth the effort. This hot and sour Goan curry utilises chicken on the bone with crispy skin for the ultimate flavour and texture. Ask your butcher to portion a whole chicken, that way you can freeze the breast meat and carcass for another few meals.

You could argue this is a slightly deconstructed dish but we’re sure you will understand why upon tasting it. A fragrant, silky sauce with meaty paneer, mixed with crispy chicken skin, and an added extra of garlic crisps really does elevate the humble chicken curry. Give it a go and see for yourselves.

1. Set a frying pan on a medium/high heat and add in all the spices, toast until smelling fragrant and they have browned nicely. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes then place in a food processor and blend to a powder. Set aside.
2. Place all of the paste ingredients into a food processor and blend into a paste, set aside.
3. Set a skillet or wide pan on a very low heat, place the chicken thighs, skin side down into the pan – no oil is necessary as the fat rendered from the skins will act as the oil. Slowly turn the heat up to medium and let the skins cook until golden and crispy – approx. 15 minutes.
4. When crisp enough to your liking, season with a little salt and flip to cook the underside for approx. 8 minutes until the juices are running clear. Remove and place in a warm oven whilst you cook the curry.
5. Set a large pot on a medium heat and add in the ghee, tip in the onions and a pinch of salt and slowly cook down until properly jammy and golden – approx. 20 minutes. Add a splash of water if they begin to catch on the bottom.
6. Add in the tomatoes, the spice blend and paste, stir to combine and place a lid on for 5 minutes to help the tomatoes soften.
7. Remove the lid and add the turmeric, Kashmiri chilli powder, palm sugar, tamarind paste, salt, pepper and chicken stock. Stir to combine then using a stick blender, blend to a smooth sauce.
8. Add in the coconut cream and stir through to melt into the curry sauce. Adjust the seasoning at this stage if you feel you need to. Turn the heat to low to keep warm.
9. Pour around 1cm of olive oil into a small frying pan and set on a medium heat, carefully add in the cubed paneer and fry, turning so all sides turn lovely and golden. Be careful as this tends to spit! Remove and place on some kitchen towel to drain the excess oil.
10. Turn the heat down a little and add carefully place in the slices of garlic, quickly fry for a minute or so until golden – be careful not to over fry as this will turn the garlic bitter! Remove and set on some kitchen roll to drain the excess oil. They should harden up and become lovely and crispy.
11. Add the fried paneer to the curry sauce, turning the heat up slightly. Add in the spinach and stir to combine and wilt down.
12. Spoon generous helpings of the curry sauce with paneer and spinach into bowls and top with a couple of the chicken thighs. Garnish with the chopped coriander, chilli slices and garlic crisps. Serve with basmati rice and poppadoms. Enjoy!

For the spices:

• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tsp cardamom pods
• 1 tsp black mustard seeds

For the paste:

• 3 garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 large knob of ginger, peeled
• 1 birds eye chilli
• 1 tsp palm sugar
• 2 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp olive oil

For the curry:

• 4 chicken thighs, bone in, skin on
• 2 tbsp ghee
• 2 large white onions, peeled and thinly sliced
• 3 large tomatoes, quartered
• 125ml coconut cream
• 1 tsp tamarind paste
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp palm sugar
• 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 150ml chicken stock
• 150g spinach
• 225g paneer cheese, cubed
• Oil, for frying
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
• Handful of coriander, roughly chopped
• 1 red chilli, thinly sliced for garnish
• Lime wedges (optional)