I love eating chicken curry, the real proper Indian way, minus the chicken feet and chicken head.

A while back I went to a family wedding in Durban and my cousin’s wife who was seated next to me was eating chicken curry and something caught my attention, she was sucking all the juice out of the chicken feet.

I was soo shocked, all I could do was stare to which my mother politely jabbed me in the shin and told me to stop staring. I went back to eating my own plate of food and then stopped dead mid-air to my mouth. I was staring at a chicken skull in my plate.

I didn’t want to eat anymore. Growing up in Port Elizabeth, our chicken curry normally consists of the chicken braai pack pieces, example drum sticks, thighs, breasts and wings. Never had I ever come across the entire chicken being used in the curry.

Apparently it is always made like this in Durban, so you can imagine how I was teased for the remainder of the wedding, I was being chased around with chicken feet. I know I always say I have to try everything at least once in my life. However in my defence I was 16 years old and had no intention of starting a food blog. So that rule of trying everything once did not come into effect until 2015 lol.

If I was given the opportunity again to try out the chicken legs, I am not sure if I would try it out. I am still haunted by chicken feet chasing me.

I came across this recipe in one my Indian curry cookbooks and seeing as how I had more chicken fillet in my freezer than anything else, I decided to give it a try.

The verdict, I loved it. My dad kept complaining that the pepper was giving him heartburn. Seriously 6 peppercorns in the entire curry and somehow its causing heartburn? I think he was trying not to make it too obvious that the food was too strong for him.

That is a thing recently I actually crave strong, nose running, eye watering, sweat on the forehead curry. Not sure why, seeing as growing up I cried at the mere sight of a chilli. My taste buds must be maturing.

Ingredients:

• 6 x peppercorns.
• 3 x cloves.
• 2 x tsp jeera seeds.
• 4 x dried chillies.
• 1 x tsp cardamom pods.
• 2 x cinnamon sticks.
• 2 x tsp salt.
• 2 x tsp poppy seeds.
• 1 x tsp turmeric powder.
• 1 x tsp jeera powder.
• A spring of curry leaves.
• 1 x tsp coriander powder.
• 4 x tbps olive oil.
• 1 x onion, finely chopped.
• 1 x tin  Indian chopped tomatoes
• 1 x tsp ginger garlic paste.
• 600g x chicken, cubed.
• 1 x tin coconut milk.
• 300ml x water.
• 1 x tsp tamarind paste.
• Chopped fresh coriander to garnish.

Method:

• Place the pepper corns, cloves, jeera seeds, poppy seeds, cardamom pods and cinnamon sticks in a pan and dry fry for a few minutes.
• Remove from the heat and using a mortar and pestle, grind the spices to a rough powder.
• Heat oil I n a pot.
• Add the onion and salt and saute till the onions are transparent.
• Add the tinned tomatoes, cover and cook till the tomatoes have released all their water.
• Add the curry leaves and all the spices, mix till well combined.
• Add a little water at a time, stirring to create a nice paste.
• Continuing doing this till all the water has been added.
• Add the ginger garlic paste and mix.
• Add the cubed chicken pieces, cover and cook till the chicken is soft and tender.
• Add the coconut milk and cook uncovered till the sauce has been reduced and thickened.
• Finally stir in the tamarind paste and cook for a few more minutes.
• Garnish with the chopped coriander.