African Chicken Curry in Rich Palm Oil

Ingredients

• 8 chicken thighs, skins on
• 3 large potatoes (Yukon Gold preferable for thin skin)
• 4 large yellow onions
• 2 large green peppers
• 6 ounces coconut milk
• 1 lb full fat Greek yogurt
• 200 g strained tomatoes
• 8 garlic cloves
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro
• 3-4 inches ginger, peeled
• 4-6 tablespoons virgin red palm oil
• 1 pinch saffron
• 1/2 lemon, juice of (optional)

Spice mixture

• 1 tablespoon coriander seed
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon fennel seed
• 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon clove
• 1 whole nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 12 green cardamom pods
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 6-10 hot indian dried bell peppers (more or less depending on how hot they are and how hot you like)
• 2 bay leaves
• 5 dried curry leaves (optional)

Directions

1. 1

   Cut the potatoes into large bite size pieces and boil them in water for 7 minutes. Discard the water and set potatoes aside.

2. 2

   Finely dice all the onions. Peel and mince garlic cloves (I toss them in the spice grinder and pulse but do not use a garlic press). Mince or grind ginger (again I use a spice grinder for this). Cut the green peppers into large bite size pieces.

3. 3

   Set aside 1 tsp of cumin seed for later. Grind the whole spice mix minus the 1 tsp cumin seed and combine with the ground turmeric (you can also use whole turmeric and grind with the whole spices but it's a pain because whole turmeric is rock hard and probably makes no difference versus the ground turmeric). Do not use pre ground spices.

4. 4

   Heat the palm oil on high in a wide, deep nonstick pan. It should quickly begin to sizzle and smoke. Add the 1 tsp of whole cumin seed you set aside. Add the saffron. After a half minute or so add the diced onions. Stir around giving the onions a chance to brown. While you are doing this add the ginger, garlic and then the spice mixture. Once the onions are browned add the tomato, lemon juice (optional) and the coconut milk. Stir it up and then slowly mix in the yoghurt. You should have a nice looking sauce by now. Taste for salt and if not enough then add more to taste (do not do this after you add the raw chicken). Add the potatoes and green peppers and then the raw chicken thighs. Mix it up real good and lower the heat to low. Cover the pan tightly and let cook on the stove on low for approximately one hour checking on it occasionally (it should bubble a bit – if not turn the heat up a little). After one hour look at the sauce. If it is soupy then remove all the thighs and set aside and leave the pan uncovered and turn up the heat to high. Stand by at this point and intermittently stir while the sauce boils. Reduce to a medium thick sauce. Lower the heat back to low, return the chicken to the pan and stir it up. When you are ready to serve the food turn off the heat and chop the cilantro finely and throw into the pan and stir. Your curry is done. Serve over basmati rice or with warm naan bread.