Simple Chicken Curry

Usually everyone begins with simple recipes and then move towards more complex ones, but strangely it was the other way round for me. After preparing chicken curries like Coorgi Gawti Chicken, Amritsari Murg Makhani, Hyderabadi Chicken Curry and many more complex ones which are posted in my blog, and discovering some of my own such as Grilled Chicken Jalfrezi, Orange Chicken, Green Walnut Chicken Curry and many more, I was asked by so many people to post a basic, simple home-style chicken curry which they could begin with. Then I realized I never made a very simple chicken curry. So I decided to prepare this home-style simple curry for a lazy evening, and it tasted wonderful too apart from the ease in the preparation.

Not only suitable for the beginners, but also for expert level cooks: because simple recipes which can be prepared with just simple ingredients never hurt. I have used cream in the recipe, which can be replaced with milk or yoghurt, also can be skipped completely and use water instead. I cooked this in mustard oil as hubby demanded little spicy curry, and mustard oil gives a nice tangy spicy taste to the dish. But, it can definitely be cooked in any other cooking oil of choice.

Ingredients:

Chicken: 200 gm
Mustard oil: 2 tsp.
Shahi Jeera (or simple cumin seeds will do): 1 tsp.
Onion (chopped): 1
Garlic (chopped): 3 cloves
Ginger (grated): 1 inch
Tomato (chopped): 1
Green chilli (chopped): 1
Salt to taste
Red chilli powder: 1/2 tsp.
Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp.
Cumin powder: 1/2 tsp.
Coriander powder: 1/2 tsp.
Garam Masala: 1/2 tsp.
Cream/Milk/Yoghurt (optional): 4 tsp.
Coriander leaves to garnish

1. Heat oil in a pan and add shahi jeera or cumin seeds. When they splutter, add the onions and fry on medium flame until they are transparent.
2. Add the garlic and mix well, let it fry for a minute and add tomato, ginger and green chilli. Add the salt and mix well. Let cook until the tomatoes are soft and mushy.
3. Add turmeric, red chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and garam masala. Mix well and cook for another minute till all the spices are mixed nicely.
4. Add the chicken pieces and mix in well with the masala and cook for 1-2 minutes until all the chicken pieces are well coated by the masala. 
5. Add the cream/milk/yoghurt and mix well and let cook for about 30 seconds. This is optional. Add half cup water and cover for 15 minutes.
6. Remove cover and cook on medium flame for 5 minutes. Turn off the flame, garnish with coriander leaves and cover. Remove cover after 10 minutes and serve hot with jeera rice or plain chappati.