Balti Chicken Jalfrezi

A very tasty British-Indian restaurant style medium to hot curry.

Prep Time

1 hour

Cook Time

1 hr 30 mins

Servings

6 people

Ingredients

• 2 onions
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1 bell pepper
• 6 tbsp oil
• 8 green finger chillies
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 4 tsp cumin
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1 tbsp coriander
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 chicken breasts
• 500ml passata
• 200ml water
• 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (methi)
• 4 fresh tomatoes
• 1 tsp sugar
• Fresh coriander (for garnish)

Method

Step 1: Fry the Onions and Peppers

Chop the onions and peppers into coarse 1-inch pieces. Heat the oil in a pan, add the chopped pieces, and fry for 15 minutes.

Step 2: Add the Garlic

Thinly slice the garlic cloves. Add them directly into the pan with the onions and peppers, and sauté for 5 minutes.

Step 3: Toast the Spice Mix

Add the turmeric, cumin, paprika, coriander, and garam masala to the pan. Cook and stir continuously for 2 minutes to toast the ground spices evenly.

Step 4: Sear the Chicken Breasts

Chop your chicken breasts into uniform, large bite-sized chunks. Drop them into the spiced mix and fry for 5 minutes until the meat is entirely sealed.

Step 5: Simmer the Curry Base

Pour in the passata and water, then add the salt, sugar, and dried fenugreek leaves. Bring to a gentle bubble, lower the heat, and simmer for 40 minutes. Slice the 8 green finger chillies lengthwise in half, and quarter the fresh tomatoes. Incorporate them into the curry and continue simmering for another 20 minutes.

Step 6: Finish and Serve

Plate your curry alongside rice or fresh naan, and finish with a scattering of freshly chopped coriander leaves.