Piri Piri Chicken Curry
Kick up the spice levels with this tangy, flavourful chicken curry that pairs well with rice and breads.
Us Bengalis LOVE our chicken curry and maangsho jhol. Lavish, made with utter devotion to details like painstakingly hand-crushed spices… these two dishes form the crux of meals that you linger over while catching up on all the gossip, reminiscing over memories and indulging in heated discussions.
But this lavishness simply isn’t feasible during the weekdays. And ironically, that is when you NEED tasty food to help tide you through a cumbersome day, right? The Piri Piri Chicken Curry does that. It’s a concoction that my elder sister whipped up during her last visit, and I’ve modified it in the interim to make it the kind of spicy and tangy curry that awakens your tastebuds and lifts your mood.
All it takes is an adjustment of the seasonings to suit your palate. And you don’t need to labour over it. Though honestly, I did add a bit of labour by blanching the tomatoes because I have an intense dislike for tomato peels, but skip the blanching bit if you don’t mind them. It cuts down on cooking time too.
TIPS TO REMEMBER WHEN COOKING THE PIRI PIRI CHICKEN CURRY
- The longer you marinate the chicken, the tastier it is. So if you can, try to let the marinaded chicken sit overnight.
- If blanching tomatoes feels tiresome, use tomato puree or regular tomatoes.
- Adjust the amount of Piri Piri Spice Mix and Cayenne Pepper to suit your palate AND health; the first time I made this dish, I added way too much pepper, as was evident with the beautiful eruptions on my face (cue eye roll!)
- If you like thick curries, add some cornflour slurry before removing the curry from the heat.
- I personally feel it tastes best with hot rice, but you do you!
And no, we’re not comparing it to Nando’s Piri Piri Chicken because that, my dear friends, is a religion.
If you make this recipe at home, do let me know in the comments below. And don’t forget to tag me on Instagram – the handle is from.the.corner.table. AND if you are chicken lover like I am, here are some recipes to try – the Greek-inspired Chicken Souvlaki, a hearty Bulgur Wheat & Chicken Khichdi, Chicken in Yogurt Gravy and a Tangy Stir-Fried Chicken.
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