Chicken Challenge Day 1: Chicken Jalfrezi

So my challenge this week is to see how many meals I can make out of one chicken. I bought a medium sized free range chicken today and have jointed it so that I can use it to form the base of our mid-week dinners.

The first thing I'm going to make with it is a chicken jalfrezi. For this I'm going to use the legs, thighs and wings. I'm using these cuts because they are quite forgiving. Unlike the breasts, they can be cooked for a couple of hours without turning tough, which is ideal for a curry as it's important to simmer it for some time to allow the flavours to develop.

Ingredients 

For the curry base

2 tbsp ground cumin

1 tbsp turmeric 

1 tbsp fenugreek seeds

1 tbsp coriander seeds

2 tsp garam masala

1 tbsp galangal

2 tsp red chilli 

2 medium onions, grated

1 medium onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 tbsp ghee, or olive oil

For the meat and veg

400g skinless and boneless chicken (preferably thighs or legs)

1 green and 1 red pepper, thinly sliced

400g chopped tomatoes 

300ml water 

1 tbsp olive oil

Method 

1. Toast the coriander and fenugreek seeds in a dry frying pan for few seconds until they start to release their aromas - be careful not to burn them. Grind these up in a pestle and mortar and combine in a bowl with the rest of the powdered spices.

2. Soften the galangal by covering it in hot water and leaving it to soak until needed.

3. In a heavy bottomed casserole dish, heat the ghee or olive oil over a medium heat and add the grated and chopped onions and garlic, cooking for around 5 minutes until softened. Add the ground spices and mix into the onions thoroughly, cooking for a further 3 minutes.

4. Add the chopped tomatoes along with the water. Mix everything through, being sure to scrape the bottom of the pan so the spices are combined with the sauce. Drain the galangal and add this as well.

5. In a saucepan, heat the olive oil to a high temperature and fry the chicken until it is browned evenly on all sides. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and add the the curry sauce along with the sliced peppers.

6. Turn the temperature on the hob down to low, and simmer the curry for a couple of hours. If it becomes too dry, just add a little more water. It is important to let the flavours mingle and develop, so taste it as it's cooking and you'll get an idea of whether it's ready or not. You may also wish to add some salt.

Serve hot, with pilau rice and naan bread. This curry tastes even better the next day so you may even want to make two batches!