Yogurt Curry Sauce Recipes

GARLIC-CURRY CHICKEN THIGHS WITH YOGURT SAUCE

Steps:

• Mix garlic, oil, curry powder, 1 cup yogurt, 2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 cup water in a large bowl. Working in batches, add chicken thighs and turn to coat, using your hands to rub marinade under skin of each thigh. Transfer to a resealable plastic bag and chill at least 3 hours or up to overnight.
• Position a rack in upper third of oven and preheat to 425°F. Transfer marinated chicken, skin side up, to a 13x9" baking dish. Roast chicken until skin is browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of chicken registers 165°F, about 35 minutes. If chicken skin starts to burn, move pan to a lower rack to finish cooking.
• Transfer chicken to a serving platter, reserving pan juices. Whisk lemon juice, 1/4 cup pan juices, remaining 1 cup yogurt, and remaining 1/2 tsp. salt in a medium bowl. If sauce is too thick, add more pan juices. Serve sauce alongside chicken.
• Do Ahead
• Chicken can marinate up to 1 day before cooking. Keep chilled.

TOMATO-YOGURT CHICKEN CURRY

Steps:

• Toast the cumin: Heat the oil in a large, deep pot over medium heat until it shimmers. Sprinkle in the cumin seeds and stir; they should sizzle on contact, become fragrant and darken slightly.
• Caramelize the onion: Immediately add the red onion and bay leaves to the pot. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is dark chestnut brown, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Make the tomato base: While the onion is cooking, drain the juice from the can of tomatoes into a liquid measuring cup; set aside. Puree the tomatoes, garlic, ginger, chiles, turmeric and paprika in a food processor.
• Saute the base: Add the tomato base to the onion mixture and cook, stirring, until thick and paste-like, 10 minutes. When the mixture starts sticking to the bottom of the pot, add the chicken and potatoes. Cook, stirring, until the chicken is opaque and the sauce clings to the meat and potatoes, about 5 minutes.
• Simmer the curry: Add the honey to the reserved tomato juice, then add enough water to make 1 1/2 cups of liquid; pour into the pot. Season with salt to your liking and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low and gently simmer, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender and the sauce is slightly thickened, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Adjust the seasoning: Gently stir the yogurt into the curry. Taste for seasoning and add salt, if necessary. Sprinkle with the Garam Masala and serve over rice. Top with cilantro.
• Shell the cardamom: Gently crack open the green and black cardamom pods with a mortar and pestle (or crush them on a cutting board using a heavy pan). Remove the seeds and discard the husks.
• Grind the spices: Finely grind the cardamom seeds, cinnamon sticks and cloves in a spice or coffee grinder. Store in an airtight container away from direct sunlight for up to 1 year.