The Shed

Chicken is usually not my first choice for a curry, but this recipe is so good that it has been my favourites curry for several years, ever since it was taught to me by an Indian lady who showed me how to make it – thanks Lena!!.

I’ve made it over 50 times and it is always the GUARANTEED curry I cook for friends and visitors.

This Vindaloo recipe has very moderate Chilly heat, depending on the number of Chillies added. It can be made quite mild by reducing the paste to one spoonful and not adding any green chillies.

This recipe is for 12 ‘Chicken Lovely Legs’ from the Woolworths deli.

1 Chilli for normal curry, 4 for strong curry and 6+ for true Vindaloo heat!

Indian Chicken Legs

Ingredients

Chicken legs – 2 or 3 per person -

I use 3 green chillies longer and fatter than mans fingers , chop into 10mm lengths

2 Fresh Tomatoes-

1 Large Spanish Onion finely chopped

Grated fresh Ginger or Ginger paste

6 large garlic cloves

Tomato Paste 2 sachets

Yoghurt one small tub (250gms) or half big tub

1 Tabsp Turmeric & 1/2 Tabsp Cornflour mixed to a paste – add to yoghurt

I prefer the Spicez Chicken Curry kit (www.spicez.com.au) because of the fresh ingredients but if unavailable, use a paste – Maharajas Choice Vindaloo Curry paste is best – (I really don’t like Sharwoods or Pataks Vindaloo Curry Paste but if you are desperate…..)

Ghee or Butter and Olive oil

Preparation – slice onions finely and put in frypan with 2 Tabsp Ghee or Butter. Add some oil anytime it gets a bit dry.  

Mix Turmeric and Cornflour into a paste with some water and add into Yoghurt

Blend Chillies and Tomatoes into small pieces.

Remove skins from Garlic cloves, have Garlic press handy.

Cooking – in electric frypan or large pot.

 Saute Onions until clear. (This usually takes 20 minutes), add blended Tomatoes & chillies when onions almost ready and simmer for a further 12 minutes. Remove while browning chicken.

 Browning – Electric Frypan heat on  8 – 9 

Brown chicken legs, turning them so all sides and ends are well done. 

When browning is done

Add 2-3 heaped Tablespoons of Vindaloo Paste: Run excess oil into a corner

and mix with paste then mix into chicken. Add olive oil if too dry.

Add level Tablespoon of grated Ginger or paste

Add pressed garlic, or 1 level Tablespoon of Garlic paste

Stir for 1-2 Mins then -

Add 2 Sachets of Tomato paste, mix in well

Add ½ tub big yoghurt and turmeric/cornflour mix (or 1 complete small one 250gms) ,

 MIXED with the same amount of water so no lumps and stir around to mix everything up.

Simmer -

Add pinch of brown sugar sprinkle all over, add squirt of lemon

Add enough water so the sauce is at least half height on the legs, some water will evaporate and thicken the sauce back to the correct consistency so, without thinning the sauce too much, it is better to get as much of the chicken leg submerged as possible.

Put frypan lid on, Set temperature to a firm simmer, around 2 on my Electric frypan. Turn legs/stir/baste/Add water if necessary.

Once the ingredients have cooked together they will have blended and the curry will look whole. This depends on the simmer temperature set – it usually takes 60-90 mins for me. At that point I adjust the temperature to a light simmer and begin to reduce the liquid until it is the right thickness for a sauce. Red oil should be floating on the top. 

Ready – 3 hours

Before serving check amount of sauce – add water if needed,

Sprinkle 1 teaspoon dried coriander flakes all over, final stir

 http://shed.robhealey.com.au/cooking/basmati-rice/  is my way of cooking Basmati Rice

and

http://shed.robhealey.com.au/cooking/pappadum-microwave/ is how I cook Pappadums in the microwave

 I usually cook 12 legs and freeze whatever is leftover in one and two man servings. Most curries taste better after freezing, but this is the one curry that I find just as good fresh. 

ENJOY!!!