Sikkimese Chicken Curry
Bone-in chicken in the Sikkimese-Nepali style — onion, garlic, ginger, and tomato fried in oil with turmeric, coriander, cumin, and dried red chilli into a thick masala, the chicken added and slow-cooked until tender. Sichuan pepper is used instead of or alongside black pepper, giving the curry a gentle numbing quality that distinguishes Himalayan chicken curries from their plains counterparts. A pinch of fenugreek seeds in the tempering is the Sikkimese signature. The everyday meat curry of urban Gangtok and the hill communities; eaten at every meal occasion from weekday lunches to Sunday family gatherings.
Cuisines
Sikkimese
Best for
Lunch
Dinner
Recipe
Prep: 15 min
Cook: 35 min
Total: 50 min
2-3 servings
Ingredients
| 300 grams | chicken, cut into pieces |
| 2 tablespoons | mustard oil |
| 1 medium | onion, finely chopped |
| 2 cloves | garlic, minced |
| 1 inch | ginger, minced |
| 2 medium | tomatoes, chopped |
| 1 teaspoon | turmeric powder |
| 1 teaspoon | cumin powder |
| 1 teaspoon | coriander powder |
| 1 teaspoon | red chili powder |
| 1 cup | water |
| — | salt to taste |
| 2 tablespoons | fresh coriander leaves, chopped |
Instructions
- 1 Heat mustard oil in a pan over medium heat.
- 2 Add the chopped onions and sauté until they turn golden brown.
- 3 Add minced garlic and ginger, and sauté for another minute.
- 4 Add chopped tomatoes and cook until they become soft and oil separates.
- 5 Stir in turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, and red chili powder, and cook for 2 minutes.
- 6 Add the chicken pieces and salt to taste, and cook until the chicken is browned on all sides.
- 7 Pour in water, cover the pan, and let it simmer on low heat for 20-25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
- 8 Garnish with fresh coriander leaves before serving.
Tips
For an authentic taste, use mustard oil and adjust the spices according to your preference.