Chicken Vindaloo

Ingredients:

Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs – 2.5 lb (1.25kg) bite size pcs.
Onions – 4 cups
Clarified Butter (Ghee) – 2 tbsp
Deghi Mirch / Kashmiri Mirch – 2 tsp + 2 tsp
Potatoes – 2 medium, peeled & cubed
Water – 4 cups
White Vinegar – 2 tbsp

For the Marinade:
Dry Red Chillies – 12 or to taste
White Vinegar – 1/4 cup (4 tbsp)
Cloves – 7
Peppercorns – 15 or to taste
Cinnamon Sticks – 2″ piece
Ginger – approx. 2 tbsp, minced
Garlic – 12 large cloves
Cumin Seeds – 1 tbsp
Turmeric Powder – 2 tsp
Deghi Mirch / Kashmiri Mirch – 2 tsp
Water – 2-4 tbsp for grinding
Salt – 2 tsp

Method:

1. Soak Dry Red Chillies in 1/4 cup White Vinegar for 30 minutes.
2. Pour into blender, along with Cloves, Peppercorns, Cinnamon Sticks, Ginger, Garlic, Deghi Mirch, Cumin Seeds and Turmeric Powder.
3. Grind into smooth paste, use 2-4 tbsp Water if needed to help grind.
4. Prep Chicken by cutting to bite-size pieces, wash and pat dry with paper-towel.
5. Mix the marinade into the Chicken, add Salt, cover. Allow to marinade in refrigerator for minimum 2 hours (overnight if possible).
6. In same grinder, blend onions into fine paste and mix into marinated Chicken.
7. In large pan, heat Clarified Butter (Ghee) on medium heat.
8. Once hot, add additional Peppercorns and Cloves.
9. Once they start sizzling, add in Chicken. Mix and allow Chicken to change color (approx 10 min).
10. Add in Potatoes, Deghi Mirch, Water and White Vinegar.
11. Mix, lower heat to a medium-low flame, cover and cook for approx. an hour. Stir intermittently.
12. After an hour, check on the Potatoes, they should be cooked. Check on your Salt and spices and adjust if needed.
13. Remove from flame stove and serve over white Rice or with some hot Naans.

Tip:
1. Vindaloo tastes even better the next day, it gives the spices to marinate the Chicken further.
2. To make authentic Vindaloo, change out the chicken for some pork, but remember to cook it a bit longer.