MALABAR CHICKEN CURRY

Steps:

• Pour ½ cup oil in a large sauce pot over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves, and red chiles.
• Sauté for 1-2 minutes, then add the ginger and onions. Reduce the heat to medium-low and allow the onions to brown until they are dark and soft enough the smash with a spatula-about 25-30 minutes.
• Add the chili powder, coriander, turmeric, and cilantro-mix together.
• Raise the heat back to medium and add the tomatoes, salt, and lime juice. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have disintegrated and the oil separates out-15-20 minutes.
• Add ½ cup of water and 1 cup coconut milk. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat.
• In a separate skillet, heat 1 Tb. of oil over high. Add the chicken to the skillet and brown on all sides, leaving the centers pink-2-4 minutes.
• Add the chicken to the curry and simmer 5-7 minutes until the chicken has cooked through. Serve over basmati rice.
• Cook's Notes: I went to a small foreign market to collect some of the unique ingredients for this recipe. There, I had no trouble finding everything on my list. Extra curry leaves can be wrapped and frozen for later use. This is a GREAT make-ahead! Letting the curry sit overnight enhances the flavors!