Vadouvan (French-style Curry) Chicken and Cardamom Spiced Rice
Simmer chicken thighs in vadouvan French-style curry, a blend of spices originating from Puducherry, India, delivering a warm intensity and natural sweetness.
Ingredients
Chicken
- 6 skinless chicken thighs cut in halves
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 6 cloves garlic peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 Jwala green chili thinly sliced
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups water
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup cilantro roughly chopped (garnish)
Vadouvan Spice Blend
- 2 tsps curry leaves
- 3/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 green cardamom pods
- 3/4 tsp brown mustard seeds
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp red chili powder
- 4 cloves whole
- 1 1/4 tsp garlic powder
Rice
- 2 cups white basmati rice
- 3 cups water
- 10 green cardamom pods
- 2 tsps salt
- 1/2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
1. Prepare the Spices and Cut Vegetables
- Break open the cardamom pods with a mortar and pestle and remove the cardamom seeds.
- Place curry leaves, fenugreek seeds, cumin, cardamom seeds, brown mustard seeds, turmeric, nutmeg, red chili powder, cloves, and garlic powder into a mixing bowl.
- Place sauté pan on the stovetop at medium-low heat. Add spices and toast for 30 seconds to 1 minute or until intensely aromatic.
- Pour spices into an electric spice or coffee grinder. You may also use a mortar and pestle. Grind all ingredients.
- Dice onion, roughly chop garlic and cilantro, and thinly slice green chiles.
2. Clean and Cut the Chicken Thighs
- Clean the chicken thighs, remove the skin if they are not skinless, and cut each thigh in half.
- Set aside and allow them to warm to room temperature.
3. Develop the Curry Base
- Place a medium pot on the stovetop at medium-low heat.
- Add butter. Allow it to melt and softly bubble.
- Add onions and garlic. Cook for 15 minutes. Stir intermittently. Adjust the stovetop's heat to low if the onions and garlic cook too quickly or start to brown.
- Add Vadouvan and green chiles. Cook for 10 minutes. The mixture should become soft and jammy, and fragrant to the nose.
- Add tomato paste and sauté. Cook for 5 minutes.
4. Cook Chicken in Curry
- Add chicken and salt. Stir and generously coat with the mixture.
- Add water and wine. Ensure the chicken is just barely covered. Raise the heat on the stovetop to high heat.
- When the water begins to boil, cover the pot with its lid, turn the stovetop down to medium-low heat.
- Cook for 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked.
5. Prepare the Cardamom Rice
- Place a pan on the stovetop at medium heat. Add cardamom pods. Lightly toast green cardamom pods for 30 seconds to 1 minute or until fragrant.
- Rinse the rice 3-4 times by covering it with water, then draining the water from it to remove some of the starch.
- Place a saucepan on the stovetop at high heat. Add rice, toasted cardamom pods, water, salt, and olive oil.
- Cover the saucepan with its lid and boil until most of the water evaporates. Reduce the stovetop to the lowest heat on the stovetop.
- Cook for 15 minutes or until the rice is fully cooked. Remove cardamom pods.
6. Reduce the Curry
- Remove the cooked chicken from the pot and place it into a room-temperature bowl. Set aside.
- Raise the temperature on the stovetop to medium-high to high heat. Keep the pot uncovered. Softly boil the curry for 10-15 minutes to reduce the liquid.
- Stir in heavy cream and cilantro. Cook for an additional 5 minutes. Turn off the heat on the stovetop.
- Add cooked chicken back to the pot. Stir and coat the chicken with the curry.
7. Let's Plate
- Spoon rice into a bowl.
- Top rice with chicken and a spoonful of curry.
- Garnish chopped cilantro.
- Serve and enjoy.
Video
Nutrition
Calories: 527kcalCarbohydrates: 58gProtein: 28gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 141mgSodium: 1214mgPotassium: 536mgFiber: 3gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 708IUVitamin C: 70mgCalcium: 103mgIron: 4mg
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