Steven's Curried Chicken

Steven makes the most delicious curried chicken. Serve this flavourful dish with basmati rice, steamed broccoli and an Italian red wine. We had a Chianti by Antinori called Peppoli Chianti Classico 2006. The wine paired well with the spicy flavours of this dish.

Steven's Curried Chicken

Serves 4 - 5 people.

Ingredients:
10 skinless chicken thighs (app. 1.5 kg)
1 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup butter
1/2 large onion coarsely chopped
1 green pepper coarsely chopped
1 garlic glove chopped
1 tbsp curry powder
1/2 tbsp Spicy Paste (see below)
1/2 tsp thyme
1 can (28 oz. 796 ml) Aylmer Diced Tomatoes - No Salt Added
3 tbsp currants/raisins
2 tbsp slivered almonds

Method:
Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Combine the flour, salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Dip the chicken thighs in the flour mixture and set aside. Heat the butter in a dutch oven over medium heat. Brown the floured chicken thighs in the butter and set aside in a 13" by 9"oven proof glass casserole dish.
In the dutch oven, add the coarsely chopped onion, green pepper and garlic and sautee until the vegetables are soft. Add the curry powder, thyme and . Add the diced tomatoes, stir until well combined and heat until the mixtures comes to a simmer.

Pour sauce over the browned chicken thighs and bake, uncovered, for 40 minutes. Remove the casserole dish from the oven and add the currants and slivered almonds. Return the chicken to the oven and cook for another 10 minutes or until the chicken is tender.

Serve on basmati rice.

Spicy Paste
This paste keeps well in a glass jar in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1 tsp tamarind paste
1 cup dried red Thai or cayenne chilies
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tsp lack peppercorns
1/2 tsp whole cloves
1/2 tsp ground tumeric
12 medium size cloves garlic
2 slices fresh ginger (each 2 1/2 inches long, 1 inch wide and 1/8 inches thick)
2 cinnamon sticks (3 inches long) broken into small pieces

Method:
Pour vinegar into a blender jar and then add the rest of the ingredients. Puree, until the mixture forms a highly pungent reddish-brown paste.

Store in a glass jar in the refrigerator for up to 3 months. At all times, use a clean utensil when measuring out the paste.
The paste can be used in any sauces to impart a spicy flavour.