Chicken Xacuti Curry/ Vegan Tofu curry recipe using my Curry Powder & Garam Masala spice blend

Method

• Cut the chicken thighs into small pieces
• Take a wok, add 2 TBS of olive oil, add the roughly chopped red onions, ginger and garlic and fry this for 10-15 minutes. Let this mixture cool down
• In a separate pan, dry roast the coconut pieces until they brown at the edges. Allow it to cool down
• Transfer all of the above into a mixer/ food processor, add 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and approx 15 ml of water to make a paste (should not be runny but thick in consistency)
• Now heat some oil in a wok, add some curry leaves, add the diced green chillies and cook for 10-20 seconds then add the finely chopped onion and fry properly for 20-25 minutes until it is paste like
• Next mix the onions, ginger, garlic and coconut into the wok and fry for 5 minutes
• Follow this with 1 TBS of curry powder and fry for 2-3 minutes
• Add the chicken pieces and coat these with the curry paste and cook for 5-7 minutes with the lid on. While this is cooking, add 10-20 ml of hot water to 20 grams of tamarind pulp, wait a minute and then gently mash the tamarind pulp with the fork until it dissolves in the water. Take out the fibre so that you are left with the smooth tamarind paste
• Now take some water and add it (make sure the gravy does not become watery or too runny so add as much water as is required) and cook for 10 minutes
• Add the tamarind pulp and cook for a further 5 minutes
• Finally,  add garam masala and cook for an additional minute
• Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve with Indian naan bread or hot basmati rice

VEGAN TOFU CURRY using my curry powder and garam masala

To make a VEGAN version of the above recipe using the curry powder, replace the chicken with small cubes of tofu. Keeping the rest of the ingredients the same as above, replace chicken with 200 grams of firm tofu, cut into 1 inch cubes.

• Heat some oil in the frying pan and toss the tofu cubes, cooking them until they are golden on all sides. Make sure you season the tofu with some salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Add 10-20 ml of hot water to 20 grams of tamarind pulp, wait a minute and then gently mash the tamarind pulp with the fork until it dissolves in the water. Take out the fibre so that you are left with the smooth tamarind paste. Set aside
• Take a wok, add 2 TBS of olive oil, add the roughly chopped red onions, ginger and garlic and fry this for 10-15 minutes. Let this mixture cool down
• In a separate pan, dry roast the coconut pieces until they brown at the edges. Allow it to cool down
• Transfer all of the above into a mixer/ food processor, add 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and approx 15 ml of water to make a paste (should not be runny but thick in consistency)
• Now heat some oil in a wok, add some curry leaves, add the diced green chillies and cook for 10-20 seconds then add the finely chopped onion and fry properly for 20-25 minutes until it is paste like
• Next mix the onions, ginger, garlic and coconut into the wok and fry for 5 minutes
• Follow this with 1 TBS of curry powder and fry for 2-3 minutes
• Now add some water (make sure the gravy does not become watery or too runny so add as much water as is required) and cook for 10 minutes
• Add the tamarind pulp and cook for a further 5 minutes
• Add the cooked tofu pieces and coat these with the gravy. Cook for 2 minutes.
• Finally,  add garam masala and cook for an additional minute
• Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve with Indian naan bread