Nix’s Easier Dishoom’s Ruby Chicken/Paneer Curry

The #1 Crowd pleasing chicken curry dish, in an easier and healthier variant.

Ingredients

Chicken marinade:

• 1-2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs OR paneer (fresh or storebought)

• 1/4" fresh ginger finely diced or ginger paste

• 5 cloves garlic crushed

• 1 tsp Indian chili powder

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• 1/2 tsp garam masala

• juice of 1/4 lime

• 1 tbsp neutral oil

• 1/4 cup kefir or greek yogurt

Curry:

• Phorun: 8 cardamom pods, 2 bay leaves, 2 cinnamon sticks

• 1 28oz can high quality canned tomatoes, blended or crushed

• Paste: 9 garlic cloves, 1in/20g fresh ginger or equivalent garlic ginger paste

• 1 tspn Garam Masala

• 1-2 tbspn Butter

• 1/2 tsbpn sugar

• 1 tbspn honey

• 1 tspn cumin

• 1 tspn dried fenugreek seeds (methi), crushed

Finishing:

• 1/4 cup coconut cream (healthy) or heavy whipping cream (indulgent)

Directions

Cooking chicken:

• In a medium bowl, mix the marinade ingredients together, then toss chicken/paneer until evenly coated. Wrap and store in the fridge to marinate 6 hours to overnight.

• Preheat your grill on high. Oil the grates well, and then skewer and and cook the protein until charred and just cooked through, 8-10 minutes. If you don't have a grill handy, fry the chicken in 1-2 tbsp oil until just cooked through. Chop into 2” chunks and set aside

Curry:

• Making the curry takes about 45 minutes. Heat 1/4 cup oil in a heavy large pot on medium, add phorun ingredients, let crackle for 1min stirring regularly so they dont burn

• Lower heat, add garlic ginger paste, cook 5 minutes, stirring until brown but not burned

• Add blended tomatoes, chili and salt to pan, increase heat until rapidly simmering with splatter guard and cook 30min until halved in volume.

• Add butter, simmer 5min.

• Add remaining ingredients except cream, cook 15min.

• If serving now, add cream and simmer gently for 5min. Otherwise, keep in fridge until ready to serve.

• Add the chicken to the curry and simmer for another 5 minutes, stirring evenly to coat.

• Plate and garnish with ginger matchsticks and cilantro (optional).

Adapted from Dishoom Cookbook