This classic Indian restaurant curry is full of fragrant spices and tender pieces of chicken
Madras curry, a dish that has become famous on British-Indian restaurant menus, is made from a rich tomato-based sauce with meat or vegetables and seasoned with a distinctive Madras spice blend. Madras is hot, warming, earthy and fragrant with aromas of star anise, cardamom and cloves.
Authentic Chicken Madras Recipe
Madras curry powder is thought to have originated in the south Indian city of Chennai, formerly known as the city of Madras. It was sold to British traders as a ready-made ingredient to replicate the flavour of various Indian curry sauces that the British had come to love.
What is a Madras Spice Blend? (also known as Madras Curry Powder Blend)
It’s not possible to define the exact ingredients of a Madras spice blend, as each restaurateur creates his own unique blend. Recipes vary depending on the ratio of spices combined and, most importantly, the amount of chilled water added. What sets a Madras apart from other Indian spice blends is the all-important use of chilli. It has to be hot, otherwise it is not Madras.
How spicy is a Madras Curry
Most restaurants offer 3 versions of curry to please almost everyone. These include mild, spicy and very spicy (for those who love a bit of mouthburn). Pre-mixed shop versions are widely available but for the best results making your own blend at home will produce the most in-depth level of flavour and allows you to control how much chilli is added. Click here for Flaevors Madras Curry Powder recipe
What does Madras curry taste like?
Madras curry, whether chicken, lamb, beef or vegetable-based, has a hot, warming spice profile with earthiness from cumin, herbal flavour from curry leaves and a floral touch from cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. Some versions are known to use tamarind to add a sweet-sour fruitiness whilst others replace this with citrus such as fresh lime or lemon juice. The addition of smoked paprika gives the overall dish a pleasant boost of satisfying smokey flavour.
How to eat Madras Curry
There are a few essential items that must be served with a curry and beer is not an option – it’s an absolute must! Serve this Chicken Green Pepper Madras Curry alongside perfectly cooked buttery basmati rice (Tilda basmati rice is highly recommended), poppadoms, garlic nam, lime pickle, mango chutney and plenty of ice-cold beer. It’s the perfect Friday or Saturday night meal to keep you smiling through the weekend.
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Recipe: Chicken Green Pepper Madras Curry
Chicken Green Pepper Madras Curry
Ingredients
- Vegetable, sunflower or rapeseed oil
- One large onion, finely chopped
- 1 large green pepper
- 3 large garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tbsp grated ginger, minced
- 2 green bird's eye chillies, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 400g tin tomatoes
- 200ml chicken stock
- 1.5 tbsp Madras curry powder recipe here
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 500g skinless chicken thighs chopped into bite-size pieces
- 1 tbsp smooth mango chutney
- Juice of 1/2 lime
- Optional: Coriander leaves to garnish
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Chop green pepper in half, and remove inside seeds and stems. Chops into medium-sized square pieces.
- Heat oil over medium-high heat and fry onions until soft and translucent.
- Add Green pepper slices to the pan and cook for 5 minutes until starting to soften.
- Turn the heat down slightly, add another splash of oil followed by garlic, madras powder, turmeric and smoked paprika. Stir spices around the pan for approx 30 seconds until coated in oil and fragrant in smell.
- Add tomato paste. Cook down until darkened a little and sticky. Pour chopped tomatoes, stock, chicken pieces and green chilli into the pot and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover with a lid and cook slowly for 1 hour (stirring occasionally) until the sauce is thick and oily.
- To finish, stir in the mango chutney, minced ginger and lime juice. Taste and season with salt if needed.
- Serve madras curry with a side of basmati rice, popadoms, nam bread, yoghurt, coriander for garnish and ice-cold beer.
