Chicken & turkey· GF · DF

Chicken Madras

Name: Chicken Madras
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 700g chicken thigh fillets, 2cm pieces; 2 (300g) onions, finely chopped; 1 × 400g tin chopped tomatoes; 30g tomato purée; 15g (1 tbsp) tamarind paste; 10 curry leaves; 4g black mustard seeds; 15g fresh coriander; 20ml rapeseed oil; 200ml water; 5 cloves (25g) garlic; 25g fresh ginger; 3 (20g) green chillies; 10g hot chilli powder; 15g Madras curry powder

A hot, tangy South Indian-style curry of chicken thighs with tomato, tamarind, curry leaves and green chillies.

makes 18 blocks, about 44p each

Jump to recipe

BatchJoy

batchjoy.com/recipes/chicken-madras/

Illustration of a bowl of Chicken Madras

Time: 1 hr 10 min20 min prep · 50 min cook
Makes: 18 blocks
Cost per blockPer block: 44p
Calories per blockCalories: 81 kcal
Spice: 4 of 5

You’ll need

Batch size

blocks

700gchicken thigh fillets, 2cm pieces
2 (300g)onions, finely chopped
1 × 400g tinchopped tomatoes
30gtomato purée
15g (1 tbsp)tamarind paste
10curry leaves
4gblack mustard seeds
15gfresh coriander
20mlrapeseed oil
200mlwater

For the paste

5 cloves (25g)garlic
25gfresh ginger
3 (20g)green chillies
10ghot chilli powder
15gMadras curry powder

or 4 tbsp (about 70g) Madras curry paste

Allergens: Mustard. Check the labels on stock cubes, sauces and pastes, as brands vary.

Serve it

Basmati rice · Naan or chapati · With cucumber raita

Method

Step 1: Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat and fry the mustard seeds and curry leaves for 30 seconds until they pop.
Step 2: Add the onions and cook until golden, 12 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger and chillies for 2 minutes.
Step 3: Stir in the chilli powder, curry powder and purée for 1 minute.
Step 4: Add the tomatoes, tamarind, water and chicken. Simmer uncovered until thick and the chicken is tender. (35 min)
Step 5: Season with salt, then stir in the chopped coriander. Cool and freeze in 70g blocks.

Milder: use mild curry powder and deseed the chillies.

Nutrition (estimated)
	kcal	protein	carbs	fat	fibre	salt
Per block	81	8.5g	4.6g	3.3g	1.1g	0.19g
Per 3 blocks	243	25.5g	13.8g	9.9g	3.3g	0.57g

Cook’s notes

For a 3, use mild curry powder and deseed the chillies.
Curry leaves freeze well; keep a bag in the freezer.
Thighs stay juicy; breast works but cook it for less time.

Serve it

Basmati rice · Naan or chapati · With cucumber raita.

Freeze, reheat and serve

Freeze: Cool it within two hours, portion it into 70g blocks in a silicone tray, then bag and label them. It keeps for 3 months.
Reheat: Microwave 3 blocks, covered, for 1 minute, stir, then heat for another 1 to 2 minutes until piping hot all the way through. Or warm them in a pan with a splash of water. Never refreeze thawed blocks.
A portion: 3 blocks (210g) make a dinner for one adult: about 243 kcal and 25.5g protein before rice, bread or potatoes.

Chicken Madras questions

What can I use if I can't find tamarind paste?

Tamarind gives the curry its tang. A squeeze of lime juice stirred in at the end, with a pinch of sugar, gets you close, though the flavour is a little less fruity.

Do I need the curry leaves?

They add a savoury, slightly citrusy aroma that is typical of a madras, but the curry still works without them. Asian grocers sell them fresh, and some supermarkets stock them dried.

Can I make it with lamb instead of chicken?

Diced lamb shoulder works well with these spices. It takes longer to become tender, so simmer it covered for about an hour with a splash more water before reducing the sauce uncovered.