Cooking List, pt. XXVII : Chicken and Green Bean Curry

• September
• 26

4:53 pm Bird of a kind, Cooking List, Curry Dish

I cooked curry chicken the simple way. I will put my recipe anytime soon, but it surely could not be as complicated as this one.

But then, a lot of Oriental dishes seemed complicated due to the amount of items used. Most of the times it was easy.

Maybe this one is, too?

CHICKEN AND GREEN BEAN CURRY

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons tamarind (not concentrate) from a pliable block
• 1/2 cup boiling-hot water
• 2 tablespoons coriander seeds
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
• 27 fresh curry leaves*
• 6 (3-inch-long) dried hot Indian red chiles
• 6 chicken breast halves with skin and bones (5 lb total)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 medium onions, halved lengthwise, then thinly sliced crosswise
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 2 (14-oz) cans unsweetened coconut milk (not low-fat)
• 1 1/2 lb green beans, trimmed and halved crosswise
• 1 1/2 teaspoons black mustard seeds

Special equipment: an electric coffee/spice grinder

Method

1. Break up tamarind, then add to boiling-hot water (1/2 cup) in a heatproof bowl and soak 15 minutes.
2. Mash tamarind with a fork until pulp is dissolved, then pour tamarind mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl, pressing hard on solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard solids.
3. Heat a dry 10-inch heavy skillet (preferably cast-iron) over moderately low heat until hot, about 2 minutes, then toast coriander and cumin seeds, stirring constantly, 2 minutes. Add 12 curry leaves and toast, stirring constantly, until leaves curl and darken, 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Add 4 chiles and toast, stirring constantly, until a shade darker, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate and cool completely, then finely grind in grinder.
5. Pat chicken dry and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wide 6-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown chicken in 2 batches, skin sides down first, turning over once, about 8 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate.
6. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from pot, then cook onions over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until edges are golden, 5 to 8 minutes.
7. Reduce heat to moderately low, then add ground-spice mixture, garlic, turmeric, and remaining teaspoon salt and cook, stirring frequently (to prevent scorching), about 3 minutes.
8. Add coconut milk and tamarind liquid and simmer, stirring, until any coconut-milk solids are dissolved, about 1 minute. Add chicken, skin sides up, in 1 layer (chicken will not be completely covered with liquid) and simmer, covered, until chicken is just cooked through, about 15 minutes.
9. While chicken simmers, cook green beans in an 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain and transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking. Drain well.
10. When chicken is done cooking, transfer with tongs to a cutting board, reserving sauce in pot, and halve each chicken breast diagonally through bone.
11. Put chicken in a deep serving dish and keep warm, covered with foil. Add green beans to coconut sauce and simmer until just tender, about 1 minute.
12. While beans simmer, heat remaining tablespoon oil in 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking.
13. Add mustard seeds, then cover skillet and cook until seeds make popping sounds, about 5 seconds. Remove lid, then add remaining 15 curry leaves and 2 chiles and cook, stirring, until leaves crackle and chiles darken slightly, about 5 seconds.
14. Pour hot oil mixture over coconut sauce and beans, then stir to combine. Season with salt, then spoon sauce and beans around chicken. Discard whole chiles if desired.

Cooks’ notes:
• Chicken and coconut sauce, without green beans and spice oil, can be made 1 day ahead and cooled completely, uncovered, then chilled, covered.
• Green beans can be cooked and refreshed 1 day ahead and chilled in a sealed plastic bag.

*Sometimes called meetha neem or kari patta, curry leaves are available at Indian and Asian markets.