Chicken Curry with Wilted Spinach and Tomato Salad

, from Issue #15. September, 2015
Photography by Damien Van Der Vlist.
Chicken Curry with Wilted Spinach and Tomato Salad

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

8 pieces of chicken, skin on with bone in

Marinade
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 long red chilli, seeded and finely chopped
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
4 cloves garlic, crushed
juice of 2 lemons
½ teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted
2 teaspoons coriander seeds,
toasted and ground
½ teaspoon salt and freshly ground pepper
2 bay leaves

Chicken
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 onions, thinly sliced
¼ - ½ teaspoon chilli flakes
1 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
4 stems curry leaves
1 cup chicken stock
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Spinach and Tomato Salad
6 vine-ripened tomatoes, quartered
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon julienned fresh ginger
1 tablespoon yellow or black mustard seeds
pinch chilli flakes
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
juice of ½ lemon
2 handfuls spinach leaves

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Chicken: Make two slashes in each piece of chicken and place in one layer in a baking dish. Combine all the marinade ingredients and pour over the chicken turning to combine. The chicken can be marinated in the fridge overnight. Remove from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking.

Heat the oil in a sauté pan and fry the onions, chilli flakes, paprika, mustard seeds and curry leaves until tender. Add the stock and bring to the boil. Combine with the chicken and season. Transfer to the oven and roast for 40-50 minutes or until the chicken is cooked, turning once or twice.

Salad: Sprinkle the tomatoes with the salt and set aside. Heat the oil and gently fry the ginger, mustard seeds, chilli flakes and the garlic until fragrant. Add the spinach and turn to wilt. Add the lemon juice and remove from the heat. Fold through the tomatoes and tip into a serving bowl.

Serve the chicken with the spinach and tomato salad, steamed rice and thick plain yoghurt.