Chicken Dopiazza (Indian Curry) and Minty Cucumber Sauce

When using spices and herbs for any Indian or Middle Eastern cooking, I always use those that can be found at our local Indian and Middle Eastern markets. This is where I also purchase pitas, as the type sold at the grocery store just don’t cut it! All of these efforts make the dish taste MUCH more authentic.

In addition, my first step of marinating the chicken in the shwarma spice was something I added for tonight’s dish, it is not something I generally do.

I used my electric wok to cook this, as it is nice and wide and easier to work with.

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast

2 small onions, sliced very thinly
1 T ground ginger

3 cloves garlic, minced
2 T peanut oil, divided

1 T ground coriander
1 t ground cumin

1/2 t ground turmeric
1/2 t cayenne pepper

4 T plain yogurt
1 cup chicken broth

1 small (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
salt to taste

1/2 t Garam Masala
fresh cilantro (to your taste)

Chop chicken in to pieces. Marinate overnight in 1 cup yogurt and 1 T chicken shwarma spice if desired. Remove excess yogurt before cooking.

Heat 1 T oil in a wok or deep-frying pan over medium heat. When hot, sauté the chicken pieces until well browned. Remove and cover to keep warm.

Add the rest of the oil and the onions and sauté for about 5 minutes, until softened. Remove the onions with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add garlic and ginger and fry for about a minute, ensuring garlic does not burn. Add the coriander, cumin, turmeric and cayenne, stirring. Add 1 T yogurt. Stir about 30 seconds or until yogurt is incorporated into sauce. Do the same with remaining yogurt, adding 1 T at a time. Put the chicken back in the wok and stir. Pour in broth and tomatoes. Add salt to taste. Add onions back to wok. Stir all and bring to a simmer.

Cover and turn heat to low and cook for about 10-15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Remove from heat and sprinkle in the garam masala while stirring.

Serve curry sprinkled with cilantro if using. I served this with authentic pitas and minty cucumber sauce.

Minty Cucumber Sauce

For this cucumber sauce, I mixed about 1 cup of plain yogurt with a diced English cucumber, juice from half a lime, about 1 T mint and lots of salt.

I do not recall where the recipe for the curry originated, it is the way I have always cooked this. And I have never really had a recipe for the cucumber sauce. I just try to duplicate what I have eaten at Indian and Middle Eastern restaurants in the past.