How to Cook Amber Curry of Chicken

Everyone knows about red and green curries, but why not an amber one? Instead of relying on the colour of chillies used for its name, this mild-flavoured delight is coloured with turmeric and fragrant with cardamom, cummin, coriander, fennel, ginger and fenugreek.As a short cut, you could replace the spices with a pre-mixed curry powder.








Serves 6

Ingredients:
1.5kg chicken, cut into pieces
(or 850g thigh pieces on the bone)
2 large onions,
finely sliced into rings
3 or 4 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 tbsp peanut or canola oil
1 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground cummin
2 tsp ground coriander
4 or 5 cardamom pods
1 tsp fennel powder
1 tsp fenugreek
1/2 tsp white pepper
2 or 3 tsp chilli sauce
(according to how hot you like it)
2 tsp turmeric
500ml chicken stock
100ml coconut cream (optional)
Salt and black pepper to taste
To garnish:
Coriander leaves
Toasted peanuts

Method:
In a wok or large frying pan, fry chicken in 1 tbsp oil until browned - about 5 minutes.
Sprinkle on turmeric, a little at a time, and toss with chicken pieces.
Cook a further 2 minutes then remove chicken with a slotted spoon or tongs.
Fry onion and garlic in the remaining oil until browned.
Remove half the onions from the oil and reserve.
Turn the heat to medium and with the remaining onion, gently fry the ginger, cummin, cardamom, coriander, fennel, fenugreek and white pepper for 4 or 5 minutes.
Add chicken stock to the pan and allow to reduce by half its volume.
Reduce heat and add chilli sauce and coconut cream (if using) to make a spicy sauce.
Put chicken into the sauce and allow to simmer very, very gently for about 45 minutes, until just cooked.

Degree of difficulty: Low.
Keepability: Even better next day, and keeps for two or three days.
Wine companion: A spicy white wine such as a Gewurtztraminer.

Serve... chicken with plain boiled rice.
Top with remaining onion, coriander leaves and toasted peanuts.