Goan Chicken Curry (Chicken Vindaloo)

I first cooked this dish, three years back, for my Mami, my Uncle’s wife. She was taking part in a Food Fair. I helped her in putting together all the spices. Today, as I woke up in the morning (well! It was not really morning!), afternoon, my dear brother informed me that my complex in coordination with The Telegraph has organised a cookery competition. Cooking has always been one of my passions. So, I jumped at the idea of taking part in the competition. 

I love Goan cuisine. Goan cuisine is the amalgamation of three cultures, the Portuguese, the Hindu and the contemporary Indian. Goan foods are rich in spices and have wide variety of flavours from hot to sweet to sour. The traditional ingredients are coconut milk, kokum, tamarind and seafood. In this recipe, I have used chicken and tamarind and various Indian spices.

~The Recipe~

For Vindaloo Marinade:

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp coriander seeds

1.5 tsp mustard seeds

1.5 black peppercorns

2 whole chillies

2 cloves

1.5” cinnamon (broken)

2 tsp ginger paste

2 tsp garlic paste
1.5 tsp turmeric powder

Salt to taste

For Gravy:

8 medium sized (about 800 grams) chicken

2 big onions (finely sized)

2 bay leaves

3 green cardamoms (crushed)

1 or 2 green chillies (optional)

1 tbsp tamarind pulp

2 tsp each of vinegar and sugar

2 cups hot water

2 tbsp white oil

Salt to taste

Procedure:
1) Roast all the ingredients For Vindaloo Marinade, except the turmeric powder and ginger garlic paste, until you get a pleasant roasted aroma. After the mixture cools down, grind it. Mix with it the turmeric powder.

2) Poke hole in the chicken with the help of a fork. Now, thoroughly rub the marinade mixture (step 1) and the ginger garlic paste all over the chicken pieces. Marinade the chicken pieces for few hours or for at least one hour if in hurry.

3) Heat white oil in a heavy bottomed pan and fry the bay leaves and the crushed cardamoms for a few seconds. Add the sliced onion and fry for 5 minutes or till they are light brown in color. Add the chicken pieces and fry for another 5 to 7 minutes or till the chicken pieces are light brown in color.

4) Now add the slit green chillies (optional), hot water and salt. Cover on low heat for 15 to 20 minutes or till the chicken pieces are tender and soft.

5) Add the tamarind pulp and mix well with the gravy. Put the gravy to simmer over low heat for another 5 minutes. Now add the vinegar and the sugar. Adjust the balance as per the individual preferences.

Note:

1) This dish can be enjoyed with Jeera Rice, White rice and Indian Roti.

2) Since the Whole red chillies are being used for the marinade, the green chillies are optional. But, again it depends on the individual preferences.

3) To roast the spices, take a frying pan and sauté the spices for few minutes or till you get a pleasant roasted aroma.