Melanie's Chicken Curry with Peas

Sunday is not a Sunday unless curry is on the menu, and even though my husband doesn’t eat curry or rice, quite frankly, I on the other hand can eat it every day.

Ingredients
8-10 chicken pieces (Thighs and legs)
2 onions (sliced)
1 tomato grated and 2 TB tomato paste
3 chillies slit
coconut oil (just enough to coat bottom of pot)
3 – 4 medium sized potatoes, halved and quartered
1 tblsp ginger/garlic paste
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 tblsp kashmiri chili powder
1 tblsp leaf curry powder
2 tsp Kashmiri masala
1 tsp garam masala
1 teaspoon dhania/jeero powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp garam masala (divided)
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp black peppercorns
½ tsp coriander seeds
½ tsp jeera seeds
4 green cardamom pods
1 star anise
3 cloves
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 bay leave
Salt to taste
1 sprig curry leaves
Hot water as needed
½ bunch chopped coriander + leaves to garnish
1 ½ cups frozen peas
Method:
Dry roast all seeds and grind in coffee grinder till course but not a fine powder.
Heat oil and add onion and chilies and fry till onion tender.
Add ground spices and fry a few minutes.
Add chicken and fry till chicken changes colour and no longer pink.
Add ginger/garlic paste and all masalas curry powder, and 1 tsp garam masala. Toss until meat well coated.
Add salt and curry leaves and allow masalas to fry on a low heat uncovered until it starts catching.
Add a splash of hot water from the kettle (so you don’t lower temperature of your food). Add tomato and tomato paste and simmer for at least 10-15 minutes, tossing at intervals. Cook until chicken is tender and gravy thickened. Then add potatoes and about ½ cup of hot water or more and allow to cook on medium to low heat until potatoes are soft.
Add the frozen peas, 1 tsp garam masala, and chopped coriander and simmer another 10-15 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves.
Prepared, tried and tested by: Melanie Kramar‎