Restaurant Style Indian Curry

I'm so excited about this recipe because recently I've stopped going out to lunch or dinner since the food is often quite expensive and it's not better than what can be made at home. HOWEVER, indian restaurants are the one exception. They are the places that make food that I couldn't possibly make at the same standard as at home. Well not until now...

The texture, the taste, the spice, the look. Everything! And with a bit of tweaking and experience, you could adjust this recipe to recreate any of your favourite Indian curries.

The only downside is it's a bit of extra effort. And takes forever compared to clicking a few buttons and within 20 minutes got a beautiful curry by your doorstep. But once you've made it, taken it out the oven with it's aromas wafting throughout the house, it is such a great feeling of satisfaction to see it look like this.

I went full out here and even made my own naan which was super easy and worked beautifully. It's even healthy! ( recipe at the bottom ). In the naan above, I left out the oil ( by mistake ) however they worked out great, not as nice texture but still great in taste. Especially when you've got all that curry going on, you can't really notice the difference.

But you know, 2 minute microwavable rice works too.

So lets get onto this AMAZING no fail indian restaurant style curry!

Indian Curry

Serves: 2

Ingredients

For the marinade

• 2 small chicken breasts ( about 300g )

• 1/2 tsp turmeric

• 40g greek yoghurt

• 2tbsp pre made curry paste - for extra flavour, or 2 tsp vinegar, oil and tomato puree instead.

For the curry

• 1 red onion, finely sliced

• 1 medium tomato, cut into chunks

• 120g mangetout ( or peppers )

• 20g cashew nuts, soaked in boiling water for 15-20 minutes

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 3/4 - 1 inch ginger, grated

• 1 red chill - or more depending on how much spice you like

• 2 bay leaves

• 10 cardamom pods

• half cinnamon stick

• 1tsp mild paprika

• 5 black peppercorns

• 5 whole cloves

• 1 tsp garam masala

• 1 tsp coriander seeds

• 1 tbsp oil

• 1 large knob of butter

• 40g yoghurt

• salt and black pepper, to taste

Method

- Cut the chicken breasts into medium sized chunks. Combine all the spices for the marinade together and coat the chicken pieces in them.

- Add in the yoghurt and paste and combine everything together. Cover and place it in the fridge to let it marinate for a few hours or overnight.

- Once ready to make, add a knob of butter to a medium sized casserole dish and over a medium heat, fry the onions

- fry them until coloured and soft ( about 5-8 minutes ) then add the ginger and garlic and chilli.

- Stir briefly to release natural aromas before adding it to the blender with the cashew nuts. Blitz everything in the blender until it forms a smooth-isn paste. Add water if needed.

- Meanwhile preheat the oven to 160 degrees celsius, fan.

- Heat the oil and butter in the same dish over a medium-high heat.

- Once hot add all the spices.

- Fry for about 30 seconds. Turn the heat up to high.

- Add the marinated chicken and cook for about 3 minutes or until coloured lightly all over.

- Add in the onion paste as well as the tomatoes, yoghurt, coriander seeds, garam masala and seasoning. Stir everything.

- Add about 150ml water then cover and place it in the oven to cook for 1 1/2 hours.

- Check halfway if the curry is looking too dry, add some water. Remove the lid, add the mangetout or peppers and cook for the remaining time.

- If the curry isn't the consistency that you want just cook it for longer and turn up the heat to 180.

- Serve with naan ( recipe below ) or pilau rice. Hop you love this as much as I do!