Papa’s chicken curry

As a visiting professor in Tokyo, my father-in-law, who had come from Delhi, lived in a small apartment near the university. When he was cooking his chicken curry, his colleagues started showing up out of nowhere, drawn by the enticing aroma of Indian spices. According to my father-in-law, whom we call Papa, these colleagues often invited themselves to dinner and enjoyed his chicken curry with him.

Because of COVID, it’s been more than two years since we’ve seen Papa in person. Making his curry brings us a little closer to him.

This dish goes well with naan or roti.

Papa’s chicken curry

Serves 4

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1 medium to large (or 200 grams) onion, chopped

7 to 10 garlic (or 1 tablespoon) cloves, minced

1 tablespoon ginger, minced

1 tablespoon cumin seeds

1 cup (or 250 grams) tomato sauce or diced tomato

1 tablespoon coriander powder

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoon butter chicken masala spice

1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves

2 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1/2 cup plain yogurt (optional)

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1. In a medium pot, add the chopped onions—without oil or water—and cover the pot with a lid. Turn the stove to medium-low and steam the onions for about 3-5 minutes, until they are translucent.

2. Add 3 tablespoons of oil and the cumin seeds, garlic, and ginger. Increase the heat to medium and cook until the onions are golden-brown and almost melty. Stir occasionally to keep the onions from burning.

3. Add the tomatoes and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the oil separates from the sauce.

4. Add coriander powder, turmeric powder, black pepper, salt, butter chicken masala spice , and fenugreek leaves. Stir to evenly distribute.

5. Reduce the heat to low, add cubed chicken, and toss with the sauce. Cover with a lid and let simmer for 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and well-coated. The chicken will not be swimming in sauce. Add one cup of water, and let simmer for another 10 minutes.

6. Taste and adjust salt. If you like saucy chicken, add yogurt and stir.