The Hairy Bikers’ chicken dhansak curry

Name: The Hairy Bikers’ chicken dhansak curry
Prep time: 30 h 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 31 h 15 min
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: Indian recipes
Ingredients: 8 chicken thighs, skin-on and bone-in; Juice 1 lemon; 2 tbsp olive or coconut oil; 2 large onions, finely sliced; 15g ginger, finely grated; 6 garlic cloves, finely grated; 2 tbsp tomato purée; 2 tbsp tamarind paste; 150g split red lentils, rinsed; 500ml chicken stock; 2 bay leaves; Cooked rice to serve; Green chillies, sliced, to serve; Coriander to serve; 100ml natural yogurt to serve (see ‘before you start’); For the curry powder; 1 tbsp coriander seeds; 1 tbsp cumin seeds; 1 tbsp chilli flakes; 1 tsp green cardamom pods; 1 tsp black peppercorns; 1 tsp fenugreek seeds; 1 tsp yellow mustard seeds; 6 cloves; 2 black cardamom pods; 1 star anise; 3cm cinnamon stick; ¼ tsp freshly ground nutmeg; 1 tsp ground turmeric

Portion size: Serves 4
Hands-on time 30 min, plus 30 min marinating. Simmering time 45 min
Difficulty: easy

Dairy-free

Freezable

Gluten-free

Recipe by: Si King and Dave Myers

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The Hairy Bikers’ Si King shares a recipe for a very special chicken curry, in memory of his late friend Dave Myers.

Si says: “Dave and I first met in 1992 over a few pints of beer, four poppadoms and a chicken dhansak in the Egypt Cottage pub next to the old Tyne Tees TV studios. What a way to start a lifelong friendship! This has always been one of our very favourite curries.”

Recipe taken from The Hairy Bikers: Our Family Favourites by Si King and Dave Myers (Seven Dials £25) and tested by delicious.

For another cosy dinner, try the Hairy Bikers’ cumberland sausage pie.

Before you start

You’ll have more curry powder than you need – it will keep for a long time but will lose its freshness after a month, so be sure to make the curry again soon! You can also use it to dust vegetables before roasting or to spice up houmous – or add it to mayo and boiled eggs for a curried egg salad.

If you like, stir a little crushed garlic and dried mint into the yogurt for a quick raita.

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Ingredients

8 chicken thighs, skin-on and bone-in
Juice 1 lemon
2 tbsp olive or coconut oil
2 large onions, finely sliced
15g ginger, finely grated
6 garlic cloves, finely grated
2 tbsp tomato purée
2 tbsp tamarind paste
150g split red lentils, rinsed
500ml chicken stock
2 bay leaves
Cooked rice to serve
Green chillies, sliced, to serve
Coriander to serve
100ml natural yogurt to serve (see ‘before you start’)

For the curry powder

1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp chilli flakes
1 tsp green cardamom pods
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 tsp yellow mustard seeds
6 cloves
2 black cardamom pods
1 star anise
3cm cinnamon stick
¼ tsp freshly ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground turmeric

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Method

Begin with the curry powder. Add all the whole spices to a frying pan over a medium heat and toast for a few minutes, shaking the pan regularly, until they give off an intense aroma. Transfer them to a plate to cool.
Grind the toasted spices in a spice grinder, then add the nutmeg and turmeric. Store in an airtight jar. This makes 5 tbsp curry powder (see ‘before you start).
Season the chicken with plenty of salt, then pour over the lemon juice and set aside for 30 minutes.
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Heat the olive or coconut oil in a large flameproof casserole dish or a sauté pan over a medium heat. Add the chicken thighs, skin-side down, and sear until lightly browned. Flip them over and cook for another few minutes, then remove them from the pan.
Add the onions and cook until lightly coloured and starting to soften. Add the ginger, garlic and 2 tbsp of the curry powder and cook for a couple of minutes, then stir in the tomato purée and tamarind paste.
Put the chicken back in the pan, turning it over in the spices, then add the lentils. Pour over the stock and tuck in the bay leaves. Season with a pinch of salt.
Bring to the boil, stirring to make sure nothing is sticking to the base of the pan, then cover and turn the heat down to a simmer. Cook for 45 minutes or until the chicken is tender and the lentils have softened and are close to collapsing. Check regularly to make sure nothing is catching and add a little water if needed.
Sprinkle with a little more curry powder, then serve with rice, sliced green chillies and coriander, with some yogurt on the side (see ‘before you start’).