Black chicken curry, fried leeks and yellow rice

Name: Black chicken curry, fried leeks and yellow rice
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: Thai and South-East Asian
Ingredients: 1 tbsp white rice; 2 tsp coriander seeds; 1 tsp fennel seeds; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 1 tsp whole peppercorns; 4 cloves; 4 green cardamom pods; 6 dried red chillies; 2 tbsp grated coconut; 8 curry leaves; 500g/1lb 2oz chicken thighs and drumsticks; 1 tsp salt; ¼ tsp ground turmeric; 3 garlic cloves, chopped; 2.5cm/1in piece fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped; 120ml/4fl oz full-fat coconut milk; 2 tsp tamarind paste; 2 tbsp coconut oil; ½ red onion, chopped; 7.5cm/3in piece pandan leaf, torn into strips; ½ tsp fenugreek seeds; ½ tsp mustard seeds; 1 lemongrass stalk, chopped into 3 pieces; 1 fresh green chilli, chopped; 1 4cm/2in piece cinnamon; 6 curry leaves; ¼ tsp red chilli powder; 240ml/8¾fl oz light coconut milk; 400g/14oz short-grain rice (such as keeri samba or white raw rice); 1½ tsp ground turmeric

Prepare: less than 30 mins
Cook: 30 mins to 1 hour
Serve: Serves 4
Dietary: Egg-free Pregnancy-friendly

Making your own curry powder creates a really authentic flavour for this chicken curry.

By Tasha Marikkar

From Saturday Kitchen

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Ingredients

For the curry powder

1 tbsp white rice
2 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp whole peppercorns
4 cloves
4 green cardamom pods
6 dried red chillies
2 tbsp grated coconut
8 curry leaves

For the curry

500g/1lb 2oz chicken thighs and drumsticks
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp ground turmeric
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2.5cm/1in piece fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped
120ml/4fl oz full-fat coconut milk
2 tsp tamarind paste
2 tbsp coconut oil
½ red onion, chopped
7.5cm/3in piece pandan leaf, torn into strips
½ tsp fenugreek seeds
½ tsp mustard seeds
1 lemongrass stalk, chopped into 3 pieces
1 fresh green chilli, chopped
1 4cm/2in piece cinnamon
6 curry leaves
¼ tsp red chilli powder
240ml/8¾fl oz light coconut milk

For the yellow rice

400g/14oz short-grain rice (such as keeri samba or white raw rice)
1½ tsp ground turmeric
325ml/11fl oz coconut milk
5 cardamom pods, ground
10 cloves
15cm/6in pandan leaf, torn into strips
6–8 curry leaves
1 cinnamon stick, broken into 3 large pieces

For the leeks

2 tbsp coconut oil or ghee
½ red onion, chopped
20g/¾oz garlic paste
20g/¾oz ginger paste
1 fresh green chilli, finely chopped
250g/9oz leeks, cut into 1cm/½in thick rounds
1 tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp mustard seeds
1½ tsp dried red chilli flakes
½ tsp salt

Method

To make the curry powder, fry the rice, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, peppercorns, cloves and cardamom pods in a frying pan over a high heat. Stir constantly for 2 minutes.
Add the chillies and fry for a further 4 minutes. The spices are done when the rice is brown and the spices are fragrant. Pound the garlic and ginger into a rough paste in a pestle and mortar or a spice grinder. Set aside.
In the same frying pan, fry the coconut and curry leaves for 3½–4 minutes over a medium heat. Leave to cool for a few minutes, before grinding with the rice mixture to a fine black curry powder in a spice grinder.
To make the curry, rub the chicken with 1 teaspoon salt and the turmeric in a bowl.
Mix the full-fat coconut milk with the tamarind paste in a bowl. Set aside.
Heat the coconut oil in a deep saucepan over a medium heat and fry the onion, pandan, fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds, lemongrass, green chilli, cinnamon and curry leaves. Fry for 3 minutes, add the ginger and garlic paste and cook for another 2 minutes.
Add the chicken pieces and chilli powder and brown for 4 minutes.
Mix in half of the black curry powder. Fry for a further 3 minutes before adding the light coconut milk and 240ml/8¾fl oz water to the pan. Stir well and cook for 5 minutes with a lid on.
Stir the tamarind and coconut milk mixture into the curry. Cover the pan and continue to cook for a further 10 minutes.
Add the remaining black curry powder and mix well. Cook, uncovered, for another 10 minutes. Check that the chicken is cooked through when the juices run clear with no trace of pink when the thickest part of the meat is pierced with a skewer.
To make the yellow rice, wash the rice three times, ensuring that the water runs clear. Drain and set aside.
Place all of the ingredients in a deep saucepan or a rice cooker and add 480ml/17fl oz water.
Bring to the boil, immediately turn down to the lowest heat and simmer, covered with a lid, for about 15–20 minutes, or until all of the coconut milk and water has evaporated.
Take off the heat and allow the rice to steam, covered, for another 10–15 minutes. Check that the grains are fully cooked.
To make the leeks, heat the coconut oil in a frying pan over a medium heat.
Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes until the onion starts to soften and turns translucent.
Add the garlic paste, ginger paste and green chilli. Fry for about 3 minutes, or until the onion starts to caramelise.
Add the leeks and cook until they start to soften. Mix in the turmeric, mustard seeds and chilli flakes. Cook for 4 minutes, but ensure that the leeks retain their vibrant green colour. Stir in the salt.
Serve the curry, leeks and rice together.