6boneless skinless chicken thighs, about 2 lbs (boneless and cut into 2 inch cubes)
5green cardamom pods
4bay leaves
4cloves
1cinnamon stick
2tablespoonstomato paste
several dried chillis, Dishoom recommends Kashmiri red chili pod*
3large onions, chopped
1tablespoonginger paste, see notes
2tablespoongarlic paste, see notes
3tablespoonswhole coriander seeds
1 ½tablespoonswhole cumin seeds
4medium-sized, or 3 large tomatoes, chopped
sea salt, to taste
fresh cilantro, to garnish
Instructions
Start by toasting the spices in a dry pan. Toast until lightly toasted and very fragrant. Grind with a mortar and pestle or spice grinder. Set aside.
Heat the oil or ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan over a medium-heat, and add the cardamom, bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon sticks and chilli until they start to crackle and release their flavors. Add the onion and sauté for about 5-7 minutes, or until the onions begin to caramelize slightly, then add the ginger and garlic pastes, then add in the freshly ground coriander and cumin powders.
Add in the chopped tomatoes, the tomato paste and the chicken. Turn the heat to high. Allow the curry to simmer for about 15-20 minutes or so. The chicken should be juicy and tender – but not pink, so be sure to check before serving. Garnish it with fresh cilantro, and serve with steamed basmati rice, cauliflower rice, gluten-free naan and/or papadum
Notes
I couldn't find a Kashmiri red chili so I used 3 arbor chili pods since that's what I had on hand, you could also use Thai chilis.You can certainly use pre-ground toasted coriander and cumin, but I find toasting the whole spices and grinding by hand to bring the most aromatic and freshest depth of flavor.To make ginger and garlic paste: separately peel and roughly chop a 2-3-inch chunk of fresh ginger and the same with a whole head of garlic (I usually made two heads at a time and save the extra)Add the ginger to your high speed blender or food processor, add a small amount of water, a teaspoon or two and process until a smooth paste is formed. Set aside. Rinse the blender or processor and do the same with the garlic. Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.