Andhra Chicken Curry Recipe

Prepare and blend

Roughly chop the onion and tomato. Peel the garlic and ginger. In a blender, add chopped onion, tomato, garlic, ginger and green chilies. Add 1–2 tablespoons water and grind to a smooth but slightly coarse paste. Set aside.

Heat a heavy-bottomed pan or kadai over medium heat. Add vegetable oil and let it heat until shimmering. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds; when they start to sputter, add bay leaf and curry leaves and sauté for 10–15 seconds until fragrant.

Add the prepared onion-tomato-garlic-ginger-green chili paste to the pan. Fry the paste on medium-low heat, stirring frequently, for 8–10 minutes until the raw aroma disappears and the oil begins to separate from the masala. Be patient and scrape the bottom to avoid sticking.

Lower the heat slightly and add turmeric powder, red chili powder, Andhra gun powder (if using), coriander powder and cumin powder. Stir continuously and cook the spices with the masala for 1–2 minutes to roast them lightly. Add salt and mix well.

Increase heat to medium-high and add the chicken pieces to the pan. Stir to coat each piece evenly with the masala. Sear the chicken for 3–4 minutes, turning pieces so they color lightly.

Pour in 1 cup of water and add tamarind pulp. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover the pan and simmer gently for 25–30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and tender. Stir occasionally and adjust heat so the curry simmers, not aggressively boils. If the curry reduces too much, add up to 1/2 cup more water.

Once the chicken is tender and the gravy has reached your desired consistency, uncover and increase heat to medium-high for 2–3 minutes to thicken slightly if needed. Sprinkle garam masala, stir and cook for another minute.

Turn off the heat. Stir in lemon juice and chopped coriander leaves. Taste and adjust salt or lemon as desired.

Serve hot with steamed rice, dosa, idli, or roti.