Savor the Savory: Heavenly Chicken Vindaloo Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 pounds of boneless chicken drumsticks
• 5 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• 2 finely chopped onions
• 4 large cloves of garlic, minced
• A small piece of fresh ginger root, finely minced
• 3 tablespoons of distilled white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon of ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon of garam masala
• A dash of ground black pepper
• Salt as per taste
• ½ teaspoon of ground turmeric
• ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper
• 8 dried curry leaves
• A pinch of black mustard seeds
• ¼ cup of water
• 1 quart of vegetable oil for frying
• 1 large potato, peeled and diced into 1-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons of distilled white vinegar

Step 1

Create a few gentle incisions on each chicken drumstick and place them snugly in a sealable bag, leaving them to rest. In a Dutch oven or a sizable pot, warm up 5 tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Toss in the onion, garlic, and ginger, cooking until the onion gains a lovely golden hue; typically around 7 minutes should do. Remove the pot from the heat and carefully transfer the onion blend into a blender using a slotted spoon, striving to retain as much oil in the pot as possible. Now, infuse the mix with 3 tablespoons of white vinegar, coriander, cumin, garam masala, black pepper, salt, turmeric, and cayenne pepper. Blend until velvety, then pour this rich concoction into the bag with the chicken, ensuring each piece is thoroughly coated. Gently expel excess air and let it marinate at room temperature for an hour or refrigerate for a more extended period, around 3 hours or so.

Step 2

Once the marination is complete, reheat the remaining oil in the Dutch oven over high heat. Toss in curry leaves and mustard seeds, waiting for the seeds to pop and transform into a muted grey hue. Extract the chicken from its marinade, and sear until a delightful brown crust forms on all sides, roughly 5 minutes. Introduce the remaining marinade and water into the pot, bringing it to a gentle simmer. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and allow it to simmer for about 20 minutes.

Step 3

Meanwhile, preheat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). As the chicken simmers, deep fry the potato cubes until they achieve a tempting golden color. Let them drain on a paper towel-lined plate. After the initial 20 minutes of simmering, mix in the fried potatoes and 2 tablespoons of white vinegar. Cover and continue to simmer until the chicken reaches the desired doneness, ensuring it is no longer pink near the bone, which may take at least another 10 minutes.