Inspired by an
@anjelicaferrett post, here is my recipe for Zanzibar chicken curry. I acquired the ingredients for the Zanzibar curry spice mix from the internet. If you prefer your curries a bit spicier (like I do) then just add a bit more chilli powder to the spice mix. Likewise, adding the fresh chillies whole rather than chopped, keeps the dish relatively mild and you can just serve one or more of the fresh whole chillies to anybody who like's it hotter. Adding the tamarind and honey gives the dish a unique hot sweet and sour undertone which is quite delicious.
Spice mix
1 tbs coriander seeds.
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp black mustard seeds
half tsp fennel seeds
half tsp fenugreek seeds
half tsp ground cinnamon
half tsp ground turmeric
half tsp ground chilli
1 tsp ground paprika
1 tsp brown suger
8 boned and skinned chicken thighs
1 small onion finely chopped
5/6 garlic cloves
fresh ginger
3/4 whole fresh red chillies
small tin of tomatoes pureed
1 tsp of tamarind paste or concentrate
1 tbs honey
handful fresh coriander chopped
salt to taste
400ml warm water
To make the spice mix begin by dry roasting the whole spices. Allow to cool then grind in a spice/coffee grinder. Add the other ground spices and mix thoroughly.
Prepare a paste of the garlic and a similar amount of fresh ginger and a small amount of water.
Take any fat/skin off the chicken and cut each thigh into 3/4 portions. You could use chicken breast as an alternative but I find that the thigh cut retains its moisture better and stays more succulent. 8 thighs will be enough to serve 4 people.
In a large saucepan fry the onions over medium heat until lightly browned. Around 7/8 minutes. Turn the heat down slightly and add the ginger/garlic paste and whole fresh chillies. Stir and fry for a further minute and then add the spice mix. Fry the spices for around 2/3 minutes and then turn heat back up to medium and add the chicken pieces. Cook until browned. Then turn heat up slightly and add the pureed tomatoes. Once these have been reduced (about 5 mins) add the water and salt, bring to the boil and then cover and simmer for around 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked. Stir from time to time to ensure it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. If you feel that the dish is too watery, then cook uncovered for a while. Make sure you keep an eye on it as the sauce can reduce very quickly doing this. Towards the end of the cooking time add the tamarind and honey and stir in. Add the fresh chopped coriander just before serving.
Enjoy
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