Chicken Capsicum & Potato

In another of a Covid-19 Pandemic Lockdown predicament that a friend of ours had, it was that she had a non-functional mixer grinder and had no way to fix it or buy another one until this phase had passed. I couldn’t put this out of my mind and wanted to do a dish which would not require any grinding. Although, there are quite a few no-grind recipes on www.bigfattummy.com like the Prawn Curry in a Hurry (click here), Whole Masoor Dal (click here) as main course recipes and also sides like the Instant Prawn Molho (click here) or the Easy Peasy Garlicy Chicken (click here) to name a few and which many of you have tried out and appreciated, I wanted to do this one just because it had hooked on to me. So here, I present a Chicken Capsicum & Potato Curry. Do let us know (in comments) after you’ve tried it. (You can join our facebook group – BFT Friends here and post your pictures and experiences there too)

Serves: A Family of Four

Prep. Time: 15 Mins. + Marination

Cooking Time: 40 Mins.

Ingredients:

[Standard Measure: 1 cup = 250 ml]

• Chicken (small pieces) – 500 gms
• Onion (chopped) – 1 medium
• Tomato (chopped) – 1 medium
• Potatoes (peeled, sliced, soaked in salt water) – 2 medium
• Capsicum (sliced) – 1 large
• Green Chillies – 2 + 2
• Lime – 1 small
• Ginger – ½ inch
• Garlic – 6 to 8 cloves
• Cloves – 4
• For the Spice Paste (check notes):
  • Red Chilly Powder – a pinch
  • Black Pepper Powder – 1 ½ tsp.
  • Cumin Seed Powder – 2 tsp.
  • Cloves Powder – a pinch
  • Cinnamon (broken into bits) – 1 inch
  • Turmeric Powder – ¾ tsp.
• Eggs (boiled) – 2 (optional)
• Vinegar – 1 tsp. or to taste
• Sugar – ½ tsp.
• Oil – 2 + 1 Tbsp.
• Salt – 1 + 1 + 1 tsp.

Step 1:     Mix all the spice powders and the cinnamon bits and add 3 tbsp. water and make a paste and keep aside.

Step 2:     Wash and drain the chicken well. Apply 1 tsp. salt, the juice of the lime and keep aside for 30 to 40 minutes.

Step 3:     Mash the ginger, garlic, ½ tsp. salt and 2 of the green chillies to a paste using a mortar and pestle and add this to the spice paste and keep aside (the picture below shows more than the quanity used in this recipe).

Step 4:     Bring to a boil 2 cups of water. Drain and add the sliced potatoes and 1 tsp. salt and cook till the potatoes are almost done (parboiled). Drain and keep aside.

Step 5:     Heat ½ tbsp. oil in a pan and fry the capsicum for 2 minutes (sprinkle a pinch of salt on them whilst frying). Remove from the pan and keep aside.

Step 6:     In the same pan add 1 tbsp. oil and fry the parboiled potato slices till lightly browned. Then remove from the pan and keep aside.

Step 7:     Take 2 tbsp. of oil a vessel and add the onion. Sauté till light golden on medium heat and then add the tomato and sauté till soft.

Step 8:     Add the spice-ginger-garlic-chilly paste and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Then add the marinated chicken and saute for 6 to 8 minutes on high heat till the colour changes.

Step 9:     Add the 4 cloves, ½ tsp. sugar and 1 ½ cup of hot water. Cover and bring the chicken to a boil on high heat (we use extra water because it will balance out when we add the potatoes). Then switch to low heat and continue to simmer the chicken covered for 20 minutes.

Step 10:     Later, add the fried potatoes and the green chillies and continue cooking covered for another 8 to 10 minutes.

Step 11:     Check for salt and add if required. Also add the fried capsicum and cook covered for another 5 minutes. Garnish with halved boiled eggs and serve hot.

Note:

• If you do not have the spice powders, you can use whole spices and powder them as fine as you can using a mortar and pestle.