Chicken Pathia

Well, as Dad would say, here’s one to put hairs on your chest.  For those of you who are prepared to venture on regardless, this is a really tasty sweet and sour style curry, and by some miracle, it has turned out pretty much like the ones I’ve had as takeaways.  And given that my beer-enhanced tastebuds normally elevate the takeaway experience to something almost sublime, that’s a proud boast.  There are two easy stages to this curry.

3 onions, halved and sliced

6 thin green chillis, halved lengthways

2-3″ ginger, peeled and grated

5 garlic cloves, bashed

4-6 chicken breasts, in pieces

tin of tomatoes

juice of one lemon

fresh coriander

sugar

spices:  ground coriander, ground cumin, paprika, turmeric, fenugreek, cardamom pods, bay leaves

Stage One

Put one of the onions, half of the tomatoes, the ginger, 2 garlic cloves, the green chillis, a little of the fresh coriander and 4 tablespoons of olive oil into a small pan with a teaspoon of salt, half a teaspoon of turmeric and 200ml water.  Boil together with the lid on for 20 minutes.  Now use a hand blender to blitz this into a sauce.  By all means leave some of the chillis unscathed, if that’s how you like it.

Stage Two

Put 3 tablespoons olive oil into a frying pan.  When it’s hot, add 3 bashed cloves of garlic, 2 bay leaves, and 2 bashed cardamom pods.  Let them sizzle for a few moments, then add the remaining sliced onions.  When they are just starting to brown, add the chicken and a little more salt.  Let the chicken colour for a couple of minutes before turning down the heat and adding a teaspoon each of ground coriander, cumin and paprika.  Add a small pinch of fenugreek.  Stir well, and add the remaining tomatoes, the sauce from Stage One and about 100-150 ml of water.  Before popping the lid on, add the lemon juice and 2-3 teaspoons of sugar.  Simmer for 30 minutes.  Stir in some more fresh coriander before serving.

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