Curry chicken a la Tom

curry chicken in the pot

 
This is curry chicken. More specifically, Trinidadian chicken curry. Even more specifically, my husband Tom’s Trinidadian chicken curry. Last week’s version, to be exact.

 
There are as many different versions of curry in Trinidad as there are individual cooks in those islands. I’m serious. Each one has his or her own method, and some guard their secrets so closely that they’ll season their meat the night before, far from prying eyes, and then feign a hearing impediment the next day, when asked for their recipe.

 
During the early years of our marriage, Tom was definitely not as forthcoming with his curry secrets. He’d stand over his pot, stirring (or, as they say in Trinidad, “turning the pot”), and he’d sneak glances to check where I was before throwing some extra spice in. If I came anywhere near the stove, he’d position himself right between the pot and my line of sight. I’m telling you: for Trinidadians, curry is serious business.

 
Then, I started this blog. And I invited him to write, not just about his travels (I still have a few more installments to post for his most recent trip), but also about cooking. And just like that, all it took was a well-timed, “honey, I bet people would really enjoy learning how to make Trinidadian-style curry,” and off he was to his laptop to type out a recipe for me.

 
Who knew blogging had that kind of power?

 
(Of course, little did he know that when I said “people,” I meant the six or seven people who read my blog. Hi, Ma!)

 
As varied as Trinidadian curry versions are, a few things remain constant:

  • Always wash the meat very well. Tom always washes the meat in lime juice or vinegar.
  • Season the meat well and let it sit in the seasonings long enough to flavor the meat. Use any combination of herbs and seasonings you want. The base that we use always includes cilantro (preferably culantro if we have it), scallions, garlic, and some fresh scotch bonnet pepper (or any other hot pepper). Salt the meat liberally.
  • Cook the curry into a paste before throwing the meat in. Trinidadian curry is a mix of ground raw spices, so it needs to be cooked.

 
chicken and curry

 
Yes, we use that much seasoning for the meat. Believe me, it makes the finished dish so flavorful. And we add turmeric (the yellow powder above) to Trinidadian curry, both for its subtle flavor and for color. The curry that Tom buys there is a strong blend that doesn’t contain much turmeric.

 
curry slurry

 
This is what the curry slurry looks like. It’s just the curry mix with some water. This is what we’ll be cooking down to a paste. The cooking of the curry is, for me, the trickiest part of the dish, so I assembled this little collage so you’ll know what to expect if you do try to make this. Only when the curry has cooked down to a thick, gritty paste do you throw in the seasoned meat.

 
curry collage

 
Stir the meat around. You’ll notice some liquid in there, and you want to cook that down. Once the pot is almost dry again, add enough water to help create a sauce, and continue simmering the chicken.

curry chicken cooking

 
And that’s pretty much it! The hardest part is over, and now you just cook the chicken until it’s done. Adjusting is easy, too. If the curry is too salty, add sliced tomatoes. If it’s too bland, just continue reducing the sauce. Too overpowering? You can try adding coconut milk to round it out, and end up with a different version that’s still really, really good.

 
I have to say that I was never a big fan of curry, but Tom’s cooking has converted me.

curry chicken in the pot

 
And now, before my husband changes his mind and decides to become secretive again about his recipe, here it is in all its glory.

 
—————————

Curry Chicken alla Tom

 
1 chicken, about 3-4 pounds cut up into small pieces (or just chicken legs, chicken thighs, or even chicken breast)
2 rounded tablespoons Trinidadian curry powder
2 teaspoons turmeric powder
6-8 sprigs of cilantro
8 cloves garlic
2-3 scallions, or you can use half of an onion
1 tomato
½ scotch bonnet pepper, or you can substitute 1 jalapeno pepper or ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper (adjust to taste)
1 teaspoon yellow mustard (use any type)
2 teaspoons salt (adjust to taste, but make sure the chicken is seasoned well)
½ medium onion
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 whole lime, used to wash the chicken

 
Cut chicken into small pieces (if you don’t mind larger pieces, you could leave a leg or a thigh as one piece). The size is really not critical—it is just a matter of how your family prefers to eat chicken.

Remove all skin and fat, wash under running water. Squeeze a fresh lime onto the chicken and stir it around for a while in a bowl, allowing the lime to cover all the chicken parts. Then let it sit for about 3 minutes before rinsing thoroughly. Drain all the water out. Pat the chicken dry.

In a small chopper, place cilantro, garlic, scallions (or half an onion), pepper (adjust according to your tolerance for heat), and tomato. Chop thoroughly. Add these to the chicken along with the mustard, salt and black pepper. Mix thoroughly and allow the chicken to marinate in the seasonings for at least 2 hours.

After the chicken has marinated, mix curry powder and turmeric in a small bowl with 3/4 cup water until completely dissolved.

In a skillet large enough to contain all the chicken without crowding, heat oil. Pour the curry slurry into the oil. This is not the time to attend to anything else. You want to keep stirring the curry slurry and allowing it to cook without burning for about 4-5 minutes on medium low heat. Keep scraping the bottom so nothing sticks. If the curry mixture burns, it will taste bitter. If the curry mixture seems to be getting too dry, add tablespoonfuls of water as needed.

Eventually you would see the oil bubbling through the curry mixture, and the curry will have become a thick paste. This is time to add the rest of the onions (sliced). Allow the onions to soften, then add the chicken. Turn the heat up a bit, and stir the chicken around to coat all the pieces with the curry mixture.

Cook half-covered for about 5 minutes, then stir everything in the pot, checking for burning. We need to allow the initial moisture to burn off. If the chicken seems to be burning, turn down the heat and add 2 cups of water, mix together and allow to cook. Once the mixture is bubbling, turn heat down a bit, cover and cook for another 10 minutes, checking and stirring regularly every 3-5 minutes. After that time, check again. Taste for salt and pepper, adjust to taste.

Allow chicken to finish cooking. Add water, if necessary, to create a little sauce. The amount of sauce should come up to about a third of the height of the chicken.

Serve over jasmine rice. To eat it the traditional Trini way, grab pieces of chicken with your fingers and enjoy.

 
 

74 thoughts on “Curry chicken a la Tom”

  1. Thanks so much for this post! I make an easy, flavorful chicken curry–the only person in this house who eats it is me, how wrong is that?!?
    Anyway, in telling a friend about curry recently, I couldn’t figure out quite how to explain the making-a-paste-cause-the-stuff-is-gritty-and-raw part to her, as she doesn’t cook from scratch much–in fact, she wanted to know where to buy ‘curry seasoning packets’–ya know, like ‘chili and gravy packets’…yeah.
    Well,now I don’t have to explain, I’ll just share the link to this post and offer for her to come n make it with me!
    I enjoy your posts!
    ~

  2. The curry chicken looks very tasty. I enjoyed reading your post as well. You are much more patient than me while describing how to make things. I also like the layout of your blog! :D

  3. Hi, Ivory Hut!
    I just came to visit from Pioneer Woman’s site, and I really enjoyed seeing your version of the curried chicken, too. How lovely that your husband decided to share his delicious secrets with us! It’s nice to meet you!
    Sandy N. :)

    1. You know, I was never a fan of curry either, until my husband cooked for me. Maybe start with curry beef or shrimp? If he likes creamy or milder stuff, you could try adding some cream or coconut milk to it. Or take a trip to Trinidad. He’ll be a convert after that, I guarantee it. :)

    2. Coconut milk added could definitely convert him..it’s a hint of Thai/ indian depending on how you go about it.. Add salad to the meal and Sour Cream yogurt like how they have it at the indian resturants..he should love it.. Either with one of these extras or all combined…

  4. Hi, I love currys but have only been brave enough to make one at home! For those of us not traveling to Trinidad anytime soon or lucky enough to have a husband that can cook…what type of Curry powder combo would you suggest? Do you know of a good “curry” brand or internet store?? My mouth is watering after looking at your recipe and its only 9am!!
    Thank you!!!

    1. Grayce, you might be able to find Chief, Kala, or Lala brand curry in a local ethnic (Indian or Caribbean) grocery, or you might even find it in your supermarket if it has a well-stocked international section. Amazon also sells them, I think. I haven’t really had to buy it online or at the store, since we always have some at home.

  5. Hi! I was wondering if I could substitute parsley for cilantro in the recipe & still have it come out good? My mom is chinese & while growing up she told me she used parsley so I grew up disliking parsley, but I found out later in life that it was cilantro. I can’t eat the stuff to save my life… I know a travesty of justice if there ever was one.

    To add insult to injury, pretty much the only 2 veggies I don’t eat ear onions & green peppers! Can you imagine the sad life I lead? hee hee. I am more than happy to cook with onions if they cook down & aren’t crunchy (because ppl who don’t like onions really CAN taste them in a dish… seriously!). I just can’t eat raw ones.

    Sorry, I’m digressing… anywho. Do you think I could TRY and substitute parsley for cilantro or just give it up and find another curry recipe all together? I’m not big on curry (was tainted by some scary dish my sister made in high school) but was wiling to give it another whirl with this one!

    Thanks so much for listening to way too much of my life hee. hee. Have a GREAT day!

    1. Bobbie, Tom says parsley may change the flavor too much. You’re better off just leaving the cilantro out. The onions will cook down (make sure you dice them really, really finely), so you won’t have to worry about biting into any pieces. I’ve made this before with just mostly garlic as the seasoning (and a bit of tomatoes), and it’s still wonderful. So don’t be afraid!

      1. I.H. Thanks for the awesome reply! I will definitely try it w/o cilantro. I’m hoping my kids will like it. If not, they will certainly enjoy plain white rice. They are 1/4 chinese and the only way you can tell is that they like plain rice & plain noodles (aka jail food!). lol.

        Thanks again.

  6. I.H.,

    Magandang umaga!

    Question: why does the skin need to be taken off? Is this traditionally Trinidadian? Great for the diet, but I’m just curious about the tradition. Also, besides rice, what other dishes would round out a typical meal from this country? Their desserts? I’d like attempt the entire meal.

    Thanks again to you both for sharing!

    1. Dalnapen, having grown up loving chicken skin, I was shocked when I first saw Tom taking it off and dumping it. Ack! But yes, it’s traditionally Trinidadian to take the skin off the chicken. They serve this with rice and a salad (just a basic butter lettuce house salad, or watercress salad). And of course, pepper sauce (hot sauce). Also maybe some mango achar, which is green mango slices cooked in amchar masala. (I’m probably butchering the spelling of some of these dishes.) For dessert, maybe some pone, which is almost exactly like a Filipino cassava cake.

  7. This looks wonderful! Question: When you are marinating the chicken for two hours, does it go back in the fridge or sit out on the counter? And: Do you need to cover it? Thanks!

    1. Kathryn, we lightly cover it. Depending on how cold it is in the kitchen, you can either just let it sit on the counter or put it in the fridge. I’d leave it on the counter, unless it’s in the middle of summer. My brother-in-law in California (another amazing cook himself) covers it in and then lets it sit in a cold oven, which I think protects it from the heat and humidity. If you do put it in the fridge, take it out a few minutes before cooking and let it return to room temperature.

  8. I have inlaws from Trinidad and we LOVE the food.

    I hope that Tom has a good recipe for Stewed Beef that he might be willing to share….Please!!

    1. Oh, does he ever. It’s on our list of never-fail Trini favorites around here. I’ll ask him to put it together. I’m sure he’d be happy to share!

  9. I saw this recipe on Pioneer Woman today and just had to come see it on your blog. It looks so lovely!! I love the color of curry. The vibrant colors just help you smell the dish even through the computer screen. Your dish looks fantastic!!!

    1. Thanks, Memoria! I may be biased, but my photos in no way do justice to my husband’s curry. It tastes so much better than I can ever make it look.

  10. When I saw this posted on Pioneer Woman’s site I had to come check out the source for myself!! I am not disappointed…as a trini woman I know about keeping my secret recipes a secret!! I also have my own special bag of curry from “home” sitting in my cupboards!!

    1. Gyul, home curry is well righteous! (That’s my attempt at sounding Trini. Or, as my best friend says, speaking “Trininese.”) Give me a few more trips to the island, and I’ll get it right. :)

      1. I figured it out my husband tries to speak Trini too he ends up somewhere between and irish accent and Julia Childs…LOL

        Saw your post about Doubles now that one is hard to make…have Tom share a recipe for some sous 9sp)

  11. I love seeing trini food online! I bumped over here from pioneer woman. I’m Trinidadian and was raised on this stuff, homemade or wrapped up in a roti bake to go….

    I’m so hungry now.

  12. Just popping over from the PW site. This looked so delicious that I had to go to the grocery store so I could make it tonight! My kitchen smells amazing and I can’t wait to taste it. Thanks so much (to you and your husband) for sharing the reciepe!

  13. Hi Rachael!
     
    Ashley, wait ’till I post some photos of bake and shark, and doubles! Somehow, it’s just not the same unless you’re eating it in Maracas or from a doubles man.
     
    Michelle, I hope you like it! Let me know the verdict, okay?

  14. This looks AWESOME…I love curry and can’t get enough recipes for the stuff…will be trying soon…more please!

  15. This sounds amazing – I love curry and have never been able to find a recipe that sounds like something I can do! I am curious, if I want to add potatoes to it – how and at what point should I do that?? I’m a very new cook…but am thrilled to have discovered this!

    1. Emily, I’d say add the potatoes right about when the chicken looks halfway done (depending on the size of the potato pieces, of course). You don’t want them to just melt away into the sauce. Do remember that potatoes will soak up salt, so if you plan to add potatoes, be a bit more generous with the salt.

  16. Curry Chicken a la Tom, is Curry Chicken a la Heaven. This is hands down the best curry anything I’ve ever had. I’m going to try this with lamb, if you and Tom think that’s okay If it is really bad I will not tell anyone where I got the recipe, if it’s good I’ll tell everyone.

    I dearly love your blog.

    1. AWESOME! So glad you loved it. Oh, and by all means, try it with lamb, beef, goat … in Trinidad, they’ll curry anything and everything. :)

  17. Hi, I actually found your site through The Pioneer Woman, and came here because of the chicken curry. My dad and all of his family are from Trinidad. And as you said everyone there does curry differently. But this recipe struck my heart and it made me miss Trinidad. Thanks!

    1. You’re welcome! So nice to be able to share my husband’s Trinidadian recipes with others. Those Trinis sure know how to cook.

  18. I can’t wait to try this curry, but all the talk of Trinidad made me miss my favorite Trini dish. Does Tom have a recipe for stew chicken? It’s usually cooked with brown sugar and hot peppers… I don’t have the recipe, and when you ask a Trini, you never get measurements! A little of dis and a little of dat, is always the response. Thanks for sharing.

    1. Greg, don’t you worry. I’ll post a stew chicken recipe here soon. Both Tom and I make it (I’ll make it when he doesn’t have the time, although I ALWAYS leave curry stuff to him), so between the two of us, a recipe’s bound to get written down somehow.

  19. Great recipe…I must try it out this weekend.

    I have a slightly unrelated question – what program do you use to create your photo collages? I use Picasa, but I have never been able to arrange it like your 4th image.

  20. Hi popping in late…amazing looking curry!

    My in-laws are from Trinidad, but my MIL has early stage alzhimers…is your husband willing to share his recipe for Pelau (chicken. pigion peas & rice). My MIL used to make it but doesn’t remember well enough to write it down.

    Looking forward to more Trini recipes :)

    Thx

  21. It was amazing seeing a food blog with trini food!! I am also trinidadian and I loved your husbands take on a classic trini dish. Mines does not include turmeric powder though!!

    1. Sherene, he only adds turmeric to this because the package of curry that we use is “market curry,” and really, really strong and the turmeric balances everything out. Other mixes already have enough turmeric in them, so you won’t have to add more.

  22. My partner and I absolutely love your blog and find a lot of your post’s to be what precisely I’m looking for. Does one offer guest writers to write content to suit your needs? I wouldn’t mind writing a post or elaborating on some of the subjects you write related to here. Again, awesome weblog!

  23. so im married 2 a trini man he has been here 6 yrs (in the states) he always says curry shrimp or curry chicken or curry mangos lol or ROTI lol but his fav thing he misses is curry iguana n dumplings (yuck) i cant give him that but would love 2 make this for him problem he HATES the curry powder here where can i order online or someone plz mail me some of this beautiful powder it would make his heart sing MIZZ LUVIN MY TRINIDADI

    1. Hi Nikki, where do you live…im trini and live in NY but they sell trinidadian curry in stores, the Chief kind is the best i think…in Asian stores or in Triniadian stores…just like Trinidad!

    1. Hi Mardi, you can use breast meat as well…it may be just a little drier but its the best when you use a whole cut up chicken :)

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  25. This recipe looks great! I’m West Indian and this guy Im dating definitely wants me to make him curry chicken. The recipe looks simple but I want to know how can I incorporate potatoes and maybe some carrots? Red pepper? Would this throw the dish taste off?

    1. It will. In a way, as it will convert into a sweeter curry..more towards thai and chinese and more other culture food that may taste similiar.. Non the less..with these ingredients, your curry will surely be delicious..but on a milder sweeter side..carrots and red peppers are sweet..

  26. Thanks so much for this post! This is one of the first recipes I’ve tried as a beginner in the kitchen and find that your instructions were so clear and easy to follow. However, I was wondering if you had any tips on ways to prevent the sauce from being too watery. I wanted mine to be a bit more pasty but could not figure out how. Any suggestions? :)

    1. Hi Gabby! So glad you tried it! Here are a few suggestions from Tom. Feel free to try any of these:

      1. Cook it a little longer, over lower heat, uncovered. And use a little less water too. This will help reduce the sauce more.

      2. Dissolve 1 tablespoon corn starch or arrow root in 1 tablespoon water. While sauce is simmering, slowly add just a little bit of the slurry at a time to thicken the sauce. You may not need all of it.

      3. Cut up a potato and add it to the pot early on. This will cook the potatoes and cause them to dissolve a bit into the sauce, making it a bit thicker.

      Hope one of those tricks helps!

  27. Sounds delicious, i love that you gave step by step directions, but I’m so afraid to try it. I’m thinking I’ll burn the curry and mess the whole thing up… but I guess it’s all about trial and error .. any suggestions for a confidence boost??

    1. Cook on a little less than medium heat.. But make sure your oil is very hot before adding any ingredients.. This should do the trick for you..and the rest will fall into place..just have everything set up and than start..and cooke with love…all will go well

    1. Yes ofcourse..more flavour. And definitely a plus..atleast in my kitchen..and great for when you don’t cook with dark meat..and need that extra boost of flavour..

      1. But just Make Sure to watch out for the sodium level..as you might need less salt added by hand..as content of the broth may have lots of salt already…just taste as you go to adjust to your taste.. And the tomato trick works great if your dish turns out salty..

  28. It is on the stove right now,….!
    I ended up marinating overnight – did not feel like eating too late in the eve.
    I used coconut oil instead of veggie oil – we shall see.
    Smells good though!

  29. I have been looking for a recipe to make curry chicken ever since I lost my friends. She came from Trinidad and I have never had chicken like that before. Thank you so much. Yours is the closest I have came close to. Everyone makes there’s different. But yours is th e closest yet. Can’t wait to make it again. Thank you. . Linda Taylor.

    1. Hi Linda! I’m so glad to hear that! Sometimes, the difference also lies in the kind of curry powder used. If you can find Trinidadian curry powder (a popular brand is Chief, and I believe it’s available from Amazon), that might help too. If her curry tastes a bit earthier, you can also try cooking the curry slurry a little longer to really toast the spices. I’m getting hungry for curry now! :)

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