Vij’s Family Chicken Curry, from Vickram Vij Meeru Dhalwala’s cookbook, Vij’s: Elegant and Inspired Indian Cuisine.

Minutes to Prepare: 15 Minutes to Cook: 60 Number of Servings: 6

Ingredients

1/2 cup canola oil (I used coconut oil)

2 cups finely chopped onions

3-inch stick of cinnamon

3 tbsp finely chopped garlic

2 tbsp chopped ginger

2 cups chopped tomatoes (2 large, or one 28-ounce can, drained)

1 tbsp salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp turmeric

1 tbsp ground cumin

1 tbsp ground coriander

1 tbsp garam masala

1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper (Very mild. I upped it to about 1.5 tsp)

1.4 kilos chicken thighs, bone in (I used 8 thighs)

1 cup sour cream, stirred

2 cups water

1/2 cup chopped cilantro (including stems)

Rice (if you’re serving it with rice)

Get all your stuff chopped, measured and ready first:

In a large pan, heat oil on medium heat for one minute. Add onions and cinnamon and sauté for five to eight minutes, until onions are golden. Add garlic and sauté for four more minutes.

Add ginger, tomatoes, salt, pepper, turmeric, cumin, coriander, garam masala and cayenne. Cook the masala for five minutes, until the oil separates. While that magic is happening, remove the skin from the chicken thighs.

Add chicken thighs and cook for 10 minutes, until the chicken looks cooked on the outside. Add sour cream and water and stir well. Increase the heat to medium-high. When curry starts to boil, reduce the heat to medium, cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring two or three times, until chicken is completely cooked. (Mine was closer to 20 minutes.) While you’re waiting, this is a good time to make your rice (if you’re serving it with rice) and chop up the cilantro.

Check to see that the chicken’s cooked through, either with a thermometer (165 F is the magic temp for chicken), or by cutting into one and making sure there’s no pink. Remove and discard the cinnamon stick. Cool curry for at least half an hour.

Vij’s recipe now calls for you to transfer the chicken to a mixing bowl and, wearing latex gloves, peel the chicken meat off the bones. I don’t have a bunch of latex gloves at home, and I’d be suspicious of anyone who does. I just washed my hands, picked up the chicken, picked off the meat, returned it to the pan and discarded the bones. I guess the key things here are to make sure your curry’s no longer hot, and wash your hands thoroughly afterwards, lest you rub curry into your eye.

Just before serving, heat curry on medium heat until it starts to boil lightly. Stir in cilantro and serve with rice. Garnish with a cinnamon stick or two if you’re feeling fancy.