Preparation
- Cut the chicken into cubes and finely chop the onion and garlic. Grind the cardamom pods with the cloves to a fine powder in a mortar.
- Heat the oil in a pot and gently cook the onions with the cardamom and clove powder until translucent.
- Add the chicken cubes, garlic and ginger and fry for about 4 minutes, stirring.
- Stir in the coriander, cumin, turmeric, allspice and chilli flakes and keep stirring for a few minutes, until everything is well combined and the spices smell fragrant.
- Add the tomato purée, ground almonds, raisins, stock and cream, season with salt and pepper, cover and simmer gently for about 10 minutes, until the meat is cooked through.
- Adjust the seasoning, sprinkle with chopped fresh coriander and serve with basmati rice or naan.
Drink with it
White wine · excellent match
Gewürztraminer off-dry or Riesling feinherb
Rose and spice notes meet the cardamom and clove, a little residual sugar suits the raisins and almonds, and the acidity carries the cream.
Which wine pairs with food? A simple approach to choosingWhite wine · good match
Viognier or lightly oaked Chardonnay
The creamy body stands up to the cream sauce, and apricot and nutty notes go with the almonds.
Pale lager · good match
Pale lager, served cold
The carbonation lifts the cream off the palate, and the mild malt lets the cardamom and almond come through.
Pils or Helles: What's the Difference?Wheat beer · good match
Hefeweizen, served cool
The clove and banana aromas of the yeast meet the clove and cardamom in the sauce, and the carbonation cuts through the cream.
Wheat Beer: Where Do Banana and Clove Come From?Sherry-cask whisky · good match
Sherry-cask whisky, with a splash of water, in small sips
Dried fruit, nuts and spice from the sherry cask echo the raisins, almonds and cardamom.
What Does the Cask Do to Whisky?
Why it pairs well
Whisky with curry is unusual, but the sherry cask suits the raisin and almond profile of this mild sauce.