Chicken Vindaloo: Goan Christmas Recipe

Chicken

oi-Anwesha

By Anwesha Barari

Thursday, December 1, 2011, 11:46

Christmas is just on its way and to welcome Santa Clause we have a special easy Christmas recipe. Why Chicken vindaloo and not roasted chicken you may ask? To add that typical Indian flavour to the beautiful festival of Christmas. As the tiny state of Goa is famous for its Christmas festivities, here is Chicken Vindaloo, an authentic Goan recipe from kitchens of the Konkan.

This easy Christmas recipe is actually not very different from any typical Indian chicken curry and yet by virtue of being a Goan recipe it has its own peculiarities. The specialty of vindaloo recipes is the tamarind juice and roasted spices and that is what makes this easy Christmas recipe interesting.

Ingredients For Chicken Vindaloo:

1. Chicken: 500 grams (boneless cut into medium sized pieces)
2. Cloves, mustard seeds, coriander seeds and cinnamon sticks (dry roasted): handful of each
3. Cardamom: 4-5
4. Bay leaves: 2
5. Onions: 2 (sliced)
6. Baby onions: 4-5 (whole)
7. Ginger and garlic: 2 tablespoons (minced)
8. Tomatoes: 2 (chopped)
9. Red and green bell peppers or capsicums: 1 each (sliced)
10. Red chilli powder: 1 tablespoon
11. Turmeric powder: 1 teaspoon
12. Garam masala powder: 1 teaspoon (pepper, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and star anise)
13. Tamarind juice: 2-3 spoons
14. Oil: 2-3 tablespoons
15. Salt as per taste

Procedure For Chicken Vindaloo:

• Heat a pan (without oil) until it starts steaming. Now dry roast cloves, cinnamon sticks, coriander and mustard seeds on it for 2 minutes.
• Let the dry spices cool and meanwhile heat some oil in the pan and temper it with bay leaves and peeled cardamom pods.
• Saute the chopped onions in it until they are brown. Then add the ginger and garlic pulp to it and cook for 2 minutes on low flame.
• When the spices cool down, crush them in the grinder into a dry powder. Now sprinkle it in the pan along with all the other powdered spices. Cook it on low flame for 2-3 minutes.
• Add the chicken pieces. And mix it well with the spices; cook it for 4-5 minutes. Now its time to add the bell peppers and tomatoes; steam for another 4 minutes before adding 2 cups of water.
• Let the gravy come to boil and add the baby onions whole to it. Pour 3 spoonfuls of tamarind juice and add salt to the gravy; cover and cook for ten minutes.

Serve tangy Chicken vindaloo with hot steamed rice or neer dosa.