Finger licking good chicken spinach curry

BONELESS CHICKEN SPINACH CURRY

There are times we want to impress our guests with that super delicious dish, packed with flavour. This boneless chicken spinach curry is exactly that. It takes a while to cook it but once you taste it you will know that your effort has paid off. It really is finger licking good!

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 60 mins

Serves: 2-3

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil + 1.5 tbsp ghee/butter
250-300 gms chicken breast fillets, cut into chunks
200 gms spinach
2 medium sized tomatoes
2 medium sized onions, quartered
4-5 pods of garlic
1" ginger roughly chopped
2 green chillies (optional)

Dry Whole Spices

4 cloves
½" cinnamon stick
2 pods of green cardamom
1 bay leaf
2 strands of mace
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 dry red chilli

Powdered Spices

½ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp chilli powder or more if you like it hotter
1 tsp coriander powder
½ tsp cumin powder
2 tsps chicken curry masala
½ tsp curry powder (garam masala)
Salt to taste

Method

Wash the spinach leaves well. Blanch them in hot water for 3-4 minutes and then blend into a thick paste. Keep aside about 1.5 cups of the water in which you blanched the spinach.
Add the onions, ginger, garlic and green chillies into a blender. You will need to add a few tablespoons of water, to blend into a paste. Remove and keep aside.
Next add your tomatoes into the blender and blitz into a paste as well.
Heat the oil and butter together in a large pan. Add the cumin seeds and the dried red chilli. Allow to splutter for a minute and then add your onion garlic ginger paste.
You now need to brown this. Be patient. This takes a while. Initially start on high heat to allow the water to evaporate. Then reduce to medium heat and keep stirring to prevent burning. This will take atleast 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, add all your dry whole spices and continue stirring for another 5 minutes. Your onion paste should be browned by now.
It’s time to add your tomato paste. Fry for a few minutes and then add the powdered spices except for the curry powder and chicken masala powder. I added 1 teaspoon salt at this stage.
Stir well and add the chicken pieces. Now cook on low to medium heat for 10-12 minutes. Do not cover the pan.
After 10 minutes, add the chicken curry masala and combine well. In about 2 minutes you will smell the aroma of the masala.
Now add the spinach paste and increase the heat. Pour 1 cup of the spinach water you had kept aside. Stir thoroughly and lower the heat. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
Open the lid and enjoy the wonderful aroma. Add the curry powder and check for salt. I did put in another teaspoon.
Mix well one last time and switch off the heat. Leave the pan covered and allow it to cool naturally. Doing this ensures that the juices get completely soaked.
Reheat and garnish with sliced red chillies when serving. This dish is packed with flavour and can be enjoyed with naan, rice or even couscous.