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Milk Street Bowtie Hyderabadi Chicken Curry

Hyderabadi Chicken Curry

4 to 6 Servings

1 hour

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Salan-style curries, which originate in the south-central Indian city Hyderabad, combine peanuts, coconut and sesame seeds to create a thick, luxurious sauce. There are countless iterations, including murgh ka salan, which uses chicken. We learned an excellent version of it from chef Zuber Momin at his restaurant Hyderabadi Spice in London. The dish is deeply complex, thanks to a base of browned onion, garlic, ginger and oil-bloomed spices. The nuts, seeds and spices make for a lengthy ingredient list, but the knifework is minimal, the cooking is easy, and the finished dish is exceptionally delicious. Kashmiri chili powder is vibrantly colored with moderate heat; we found a mixture of sweet paprika and cayenne to be a good substitute. Curry leaves have a unique inimitable savoriness. While the dish is fantastic made with them, it does not suffer without, so don’t fret about leaving them out. Salan curries are usually eaten alongside biryani, a spiced meat and rice dish, but steamed basmati rice, naan or roti are all wonderful accompaniments.

4 to 6

Servings

Tip

Don’t let the ground spices cook for too long or they may burn and make the sauce bitter. They need just a quick toast before being blended with water.

1 hour

1 1/2 tablespoons tamarind pulp
1/2 cup boiling water
1/3 cup roasted peanuts
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
4 tablespoons grapeseed or other neutral oil, divided
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
4 medium garlic cloves, finely grated
2 teaspoons garam masala
1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder (see headnote) or 1½ teaspoons sweet paprika plus ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
3/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
curry leaves (optional; see headnote)
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, trimmed and cut into ¾- to 1-inch chunk
Chopped fresh cilantro, to serve
Ingredients
  • tablespoons tamarind pulp

  • ½

    cup boiling water

  • cup roasted peanuts

  • ¼

    cup unsweetened shredded coconut

  • 1

    tablespoon sesame seeds

  • 4

    tablespoons grapeseed or other neutral oil, divided

  • 1

    medium yellow onion, finely chopped

  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper

  • 1

    tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger

  • 4

    medium garlic cloves, finely grated

  • 2

    teaspoons garam masala

  • 1

    teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder (see headnote) or 1½ teaspoons sweet paprika plus ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

  • ¾

    teaspoon ground turmeric

  • 1

    teaspoon yellow mustard seeds

  • 1

    teaspoon cumin seeds

  • curry leaves (optional; see headnote)

  • 2

    pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, trimmed and cut into ¾- to 1-inch chunk

  • Chopped fresh cilantro, to serve

Directions

Hyderabadi Chicken Curry

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Reviews
Georgianne M.
March 31, 2024
Absolutely delicious
I am a huge fan of Indian Food. It is pretty different than the usual dal or curry recipes you might have made in your kitchen. The mixture of peanuts, coconut, and sesame seeds gives the sauce such a rich taste. And the best touch, the tamarind, gives that delicious tanginess that cuts the richness of the sauce. I didn't have the curry leaves this time around, but I look forward to making this curry again with the leaves. Instead of eating it with rice, we had it with parathas. This dish tastes better the next day after the flavors have really melded together.
Denise B.
February 26, 2024
Hyderadadi Chicken Curry is a winner
I knew when I saw this recipe on PBS I wanted to try it and it did not disappoint. I will make this often.
Rick F.
January 15, 2024
Great chicken dish
Served over rice…. Yummy
Maxine R.
June 30, 2023
Yum!
This is a delicious curry. 2nd time I am making it. I have curry leaves but used black mustard seeds instead of yellow ones....
Michael Y.
April 2, 2023
Different, tasty
If you like Indian food, definitely give this a try. I liked it though it may not be for everyone. Its got a tangy flavor that we do not usually get in Indian food in North America. I added just a pinch of sugar at the end to balance the tang. I also let the curry sit off heat for 30 mins after it was finished to let the flavors mix a little. I agree it tastes a little like satay but it is still different than satay.