© J Sainsbury plc 2020
Chicken madras
Madras curries tend to be on the hotter side, dark red in colour - thanks to the tomatoes and spices - and full of flavour. Curry leaves are typical of the spicing in madras curries too. Tamarind is the fruity pulp of a plant that flourishes (and is widely used) in southern India; it brings a delicious souring note to recipes in that region, including the city (now called Chennai) that gave its name to this style of curry.
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Ready in 60 minutes
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Cooking time 50 minutes
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Prep time 10 minutes
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Serves 4
One of your 5 a day
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 tsp brown mustard seeds
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 700g boneless chicken thighs
- 3 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 heaped tbsp grated fresh ginger
- 2-4 small green chillies, left whole
- 20 curry leaves
- 1-2 tsp chilli powder
- 1 ½ tbsp garam masala
- 1 x 400g can tomatoes, blended until smooth
- a pinch of sugar
- 50g tamarind paste (or use the juice from 1 lemon)
For the rice
- 300g basmati rice
- 1 tsp turmeric
Method
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1
Fry the mustard seeds and half the curry leaves in the oil for 30 seconds until they begin to sizzle and pop. Add the onion and and fry gently for about 10 minutes until softened and lightly golden.
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2
Add the garlic, ginger, green chilli (if using) and cook for 1 minute or until aromatic. Add the ground spices and cook for 1 minute, then stir in the tomato, sugar, tamarind and a big pinch of salt and simmer for about 5 minutes until rich and reduced.
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3
Add the chicken and 200ml water, cover and cook for a 25-30 minutes or until cooked through.
Meanwhile, cook the rice with the turmeric and 450g boiling water in a covered pan over a low heat for 20 minutes until all the water is absorbed and the rice is cooked. Serve topped with the remaining curry leaves, with the rice on the side.
