Balti Chicken Tamarind Sauce

Do you know that I am now staying in a country which Indian food is one of the main choices we have? There are so many dishes which we can't understand what it is just by looking at the dish name. When I go shopping for my grocery, the Indian food section is so huge that nearly make me cry, because most of the packaging comes with Arabic words and of course in some places like Carrefour, Geant, Spinney they have English labelled on the ingredients, otherwise you will be lost forever! 

Ok, this is the first time for me to cook Indian food and I know it will not be the last time because lot of Indian dishes are very delicious and I love the fragrance spices in them. The tamarind in this dish gives the dish a sweet and sour flavour and it supposes to be hot Balti, but I want my son to try this Balti Chicken Tamarind Sauce, therefore I omitted the chillies from this dish and replaced it with some mild curry powder, also add some capsicum in it too. There are some others ingredients such as fenugreek seeds which I don't have and doesn't want to buy just for this dish so it is also omitted from this dish.

My version of yummy sweet and sour chicken Indian food for my son! Let's eat!

Candle holders in my home

Recipe adapted from Best Ever Indian Cookbook

Ingredients:
8 chicken drumsticks, skinned (~450g)
60ml tomatoe ketchup
1 tbsp tamarind paste (used 2 tbsp)
4 tbsp water
1.5 chilli powder (omitted)
1.5 mild curry powder
1 green capsicum, cut into small
1.5 tsp salt (use 1 tsp)
1 tbsp sugar
1.5 tsp grated fresh root ginger (used minced ginger)
1.5 tsp crushed garlic (used minced garlic)

2 tbsp desiccated coconut
2 tbsp sesame seeds
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp poppy seeds
1.5 tsp ground coriander
5 tbsp corn oil
8 tbsp curry leaves (used a handful of it)
1/2 tsp onion seeds (omitted)
3 large dried red chilli (omitted)
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds (omitted)
10-12 cherry tomatoes (used tomatoes harvested from my garden)
3 tbsp chopped fresh coriander (omitted)
2 fresh green chilli, chopped (omitted)

Method:
1. Put the tomato ketchup, tamarind paste and water in a huge mixing bowl, and mix well.
2. Add the curry powder, salt, sugar, ginger, garlic, coconut, sesame and poppy seeds, cumin and coriander to the mixture. Stir to mix.
3. Add the chicken pieces and stir until all coated with the spice mixture. Set aside for 1 hour. 
4. Heat the karahi, wok or deep pan. Add the oil. Add in the curry leaves, onion seeds, dried red chillies and fenugreek seeds and fry for about 1 min.
5. Lower the heat to medium and add the chicken, and green capsicum, stir well. 
6. Cook for about 12~15 mins or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked.
7. Add the tomatoes, fresh coriander and green chillies and serve warm.

I am submitting this post to Asian Food Fest  

Indian Subcontinent hosted by Chef and Sommelier