Kadai Chicken Curry
This red-hued, veggie and chicken-rich dish is easy to whip up any day of the week. For ease and convenience, a dutch oven takes the place of the traditional wok.
- Makes4 servings
- Cook Time1 hour
- 2
At APB Cook Studio cooking school in Mumbai, cooking instructor Shivani Unakar taught us how to make this chicken curry with tomatoes and bell peppers. A kadai is an Indian wok, the cooking vessel traditionally used for cooking this dish, but Unakar used a Dutch oven, so that’s what we reached for when re-creating the curry. Two tablespoons of Kashmiri chili powder—which has a stunning red hue, a fine, powdery texture and mild spiciness—lends the curry a rich, burnished red hue. It’s sold in spice shops and Indian markets, but if you cannot find it, a fresh jar of sweet paprika is a decent substitute, with a little cayenne to add a touch of heat. Ghee is a type of clarified butter often used in Indian cooking; its flavor is slightly sweet and nutty, and because the milk solids have been removed, it has a higher smoke point than regular butter. Look for ghee sold in jars in the refrigerator case near the butter or in the grocery aisle next to the coconut oil. Serve with basmati rice.
Don’t combine the green and red bell peppers after prepping them. Keep them separate, as they’re added to the pot at different times. The green pepper is briefly sautéed, then set aside for stirring into the chicken at the end so that it adds a tender-crisp texture; the red pepper is cooked with the chicken so it becomes silky-soft.
To access this recipe, you need to be a member.
Join Milk Street and get instant access to over 3,500 recipes for just $1.