Kadai Paste Ingredients
½ tbsp coriander seeds
¼ tsp fenugreek seeds
½ tbsp ginger paste
½ tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp Garam Masala powder
½ inch ginger
100 ml canola oil
½ tbsp fenugreek seeds
1 white onion, brunoised
2 sliced red chilli
10 chopped garlic
4 chopped tomato
1 tsp coriander powder
Using a non-stick pan, roast the coriander seeds. Once the seeds begin crackling, remove and crush them thoroughly using a mortar & pestle, and then place them aside. Heat oil in a pan over a low flame, add red chillies and fenugreek seeds. Stir for a few seconds. Add the onions and increase to a medium flame. Cook until the onions turn light brown. Add garlic and stir. Now add ginger paste, coriander seeds, red chilli powder and coriander powder. Stir to blend and add the chopped tomatoes and cook for another 3 minutes. Add salt and Garam Masala powder. Remove all the ingredients and blend until smooth.
Curry Ingredients
500 g deboned and skinned chicken thighs
1 white onion, brunoised
1 red pepper, seeded and brunoised
100 ml canola oil
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp fresh garlic, chopped
2 tbsp fresh ginger, chopped
2 tbsp fresh turmeric, chopped
2 tbsp fresh green chilli, chopped
1 x 72 g tinned tomato paste
1 x 420 g tinned chopped tomatoes
500 ml chicken stock
handful chopped coriander
300 g baby spinach
Loosen the Kadai Paste with some oil and marinate the chicken thighs in it for at least an hour. Using a heavy-based pot with a wide base, sauté the onions and the red pepper in the oil and butter until soft. Add the garlic, ginger, turmeric and chilli and sauté for at least 5 minutes stirring continuously. Add the tomato paste and cook for 3 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes and chicken stock and bring to the boil and reduce by half. In a heavy-based frying pan brown the chicken, once the chicken has been browned evenly on all sides add it to the tomato sauce which is still reducing. Scrape all the Kadai Paste into the frying pan and cook the base for at least 2 minutes before adding it to the tomato base. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 10 minutes until the chicken is tender. Stir occasionally. Once the sauce is thick and the chicken is cooked, remove from heat and stir in the washed baby spinach and coriander. Serve with Poppadums or Naan or Basmati Rice.
For more food inspiration from our hotel’s Executive Chefs, including Cape Malay specialities and Chicken Korma, click here.
