Creamy Indian Chicken Curry

Creamy Indian Chicken Curry that requires no cream! A perfect introduction into authentic south Indian cooking that uses nuts to make it creamy! Enjoy with rice, roti, or naan!

Creamy Indian Chicken Curry

Okay, so creamy Indian chicken curry is a super simple and easy introduction to Indian cooking. It’s the first Indian recipe that my fiance learned to cook from my mom! It’s not SUPER authentic but not super un authentic either. It utilizes authentic techniques and flavors.

The recipe is straightforward once you understand certain basic steps and concepts.

Overall, you need to have the right spices and seasonings. That means you should get Indian Chili powder, specifically. Any turmeric, any garam masala, and any coriander powder works fine.

Below, you’ll see three other very crucial ingredients to this recipe.

Spice mix for recipe

The first is a ginger – garlic paste. This paste is just 1 part ginger 1 part garlic blended into a paste. We make it in large batches and store it in the fridge (it tends to turn a little green as it technically ferments). It smells heavenly when being made and when being cooked. If you don’t want to make and store this, you can just grate 1 part each of the ingredients to make the paste on the spot.

You’ll also need to get whole clove. You can find it in the Mexican aisle at most grocery stores. Don’t get ground clove, you’ll need to roast the clove for good flavor.

Finally, you’ll need cinnamon sticks. You can find these at the regular seasoning aisle but they are sometimes cheaper and better quality in the Mexican aisle as well.

Nuts soaked in water

Microwave the nuts in a bowl of water and let sit for at least 30 mins. Then peel the almonds (if you didn’t already get prepeeled almonds.)

When you blend the nuts and tomatoes, add a little bit of water. The best way to describe the consistency is like a smoothie bowl.

Nut - tomato paste

Having the right ingredients is most of the work, but there are a few more tips and tricks in the method of cooking that can help.

Once the oil is heated, cook the cinnamon and clove until fragrant and they begin to turn dark.

You want to cook the onions before you cook the ginger garlic paste or it will burn. Cook the onions until they are translucent and then add the ginger garlic paste.

Onions and ginger garlic paste

Cook until the paste is fragrant and no longer feels raw.

Add the chili powder, turmeric, salt, and coriander powder. Add the chicken and cook.

Creamy Indian Chicken Curry

Once the chicken is cooked, add the tomato-nut paste and stir. Add the water and stir. Add the garam masala

Cook and then taste. Add salt if you feel that it needs some. If you want it spicier add a little more chili powder.

Curry

Add a handful of chopped cilantro and stir.

Serve hot!

Creamy Indian Chicken Curry

This creamy Indian chicken curry can be store in the fridge for a few days and reheated in the microwave or on the stove.

Creamy Indian Chicken Curry

Creamy Indian Chicken Curry that requires no cream! A perfect introduction into authentic south Indian cooking that uses nuts to make it creamy! Enjoy with rice, roti, or naan!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 8 Servings
Calories: 200kcal

Ingredients

  • 1.5 Pounds Boneless Skinless Chicken Tenders, diced
  • Cup Almonds (skin on off if you can, but on is fine too)
  • Cup Cashews
  • 4 Roma Tomatoes, diced
  • 1 Yellow Onion, diced
  • 4-5 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 2 ½ inch Sticks of Cinnamon
  • 4-5 Cloves
  • Tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste 1 part peeled ginger, 1 part peeled garlic blended into paste.
  • 2 tsp Chili Powder Indian chili powder
  • ½ tsp Turmeric
  • 2 tsp Coriander powder
  • 3-4 tsp Kosher Salt
  • ½ tsp Garam Masala
  • 6 Sprigs Cilantro

Instructions

  • Microwave cashews and almonds in a small bowl while submerged in water for 30-45 seconds, then leave them to soak for 30 minutes.
  • Peel the skin from the almonds then set aside. (still soak the nuts even if you’re using pre peeled almonds)
  • Finely dice 1 whole yellow onion and cut the tomatoes into around eight chunks per tomato.
  • Blend the tomatoes, nuts, and a small amount of water into a fine paste for around 1 to 1 and a half minutes on high. (Should be a smoothie bowl consistency)
  • Put the oil into a pot on medium heat, wait until warmed and add the cinnamon and cloves; Cook until dark brown and fragrant.
  • Add the onions and cook until translucent, next add the ginger-garlic paste. Cook until the paste is fragrant.
  • Add the chili powder, turmeric, coriander powder, salt and cook for an additional minute.
  • Add the chicken and stir to coat; cook the chicken for about 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Pour in the tomato/nut mixture and stir. Add 1 cup water and garam masala. Cook.
  • At this point you can season to taste, add salt if you feel like it needs it and if you feel like it isn't spicy enough then add some more chili powder.
  • Cook until some oil floats to the top. Add chopped cilantro and serve!

Simple Sweet Mango Lassi

This Easy Mango Lassi recipe is creamy, not too sweet, and only requires four simple ingredients! Full of flavor and a sweet Indian treat for the warm weather!

Simple Sweet Mango Lassi

This simple sweet mango lassi recipe is easy and only requires four ingredients!

This drink is a mango version of the classic, plain yogurt lassi. This drink originates from India and has a yogurt base with fruits, spices, or salts blended in. The classic, plain yogurt one is paired with spicy food to soothe the stomach.

The mango one is a sweet and slightly tart dessert!

All you’ll need is a blender or an immersion blender as far as supplies go.

This recipe *can* be recreated with fresh mangoes or frozen mangoes but the sweetness level and availability of those varies too much. Try to get mango pulp as that will create the most consistent texture, flavor, and sweetness.

The type of whole milk yogurt you use will also affect the recipe. So use the recipe as a guide and adjust based off of your flavor preferences. This recipe uses Dannon While Milk Plain Yogurt.

If you find that the consistency is too thick, you can add a little water at a time. Adjust the sugar as you add more water and yogurt.

If you make this a day ahead of time and store it, the liquids from the yogurt may separate. Just give it a stir and enjoy!

Easy Mango Lassi

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Simple Sweet Mango Lassi

This Simple Sweet Mango Lassi recipe is creamy, not too sweet, and only requires four simple ingredients! Full of flavor and a sweet Indian treat for the warm weather!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time1 minute
Course: Dessert, Drinks
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 2 8 oz servings
Calories: 195kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 Cup Plain Yogurt Dannon, Whole Milk
  • 1 Cup Mango Pulp
  • 4 tsp White Sugar
  • Pinch Kosher Salt

Instructions

  • Blend 1 cup of plain yogurt with 1 cup of mango pulp.
  • Add white sugar and a pinch of salt and blend thoroughly!
  • Chill it in the refrigerator if it's not cold enough and stir if it separates a bit.
  • Enjoy!

Enjoy your simple sweet mango lassi!

Bread Bonda (Fried Potato Balls)

Bread Bonda is an Indian recipe for fried balls stuffed with potato, onion, and cilantro! Easy to make with household ingredients.

Top Level bread bonda

Bread Bonda are these fried potato balls that my moms aunt used to make her growing up. It’s called bread bonda because they are potato balls wrapped in white bread and shallow fried to crispy perfection!

I know, I know, the idea of taking white bread, slightly wetting it and frying it doesn’t sound that great but it’s not that different from croutons!

Boil whole, medium sized gold potatoes (2 pounds of them) with the skin on until they can be pierced with a fork. Peel the skin off after you drain and cool them and crush them with a fork. You want them to be crumbly and a little chunky.

potatoes with onions and cilantro

Mix the potatoes with the salt, chili powder, grated ginger, diced onions, and chopped cilantro.

Make sure to use red onion for this recipe, they stay crispy and add a great balance to the creaminess of gold potatoes.

potato mixture

Roll the potato into ping pong sized balls, you’ll get about 20 of them.

Take a slice of bread for each potato ball you have and cut the crusts off. Then flatten them with your hand or a rolling pin.

Potato balls with bread

Here comes the slightly tricky part: wrapping the potato balls in the bread.

If you get a presliced loaf of white bread (think Mrs Baird’s or Sara Lee) the size of the slices should be just large enough for you to wrap the potato balls.

Generously wet your hands and pat the water onto the bread slice to get it slightly wet. This will help you mold the bread around the potato balls. Bring the four corners of the bread together and wet your hand once more. Use your wet hands to help you seal the edges of the bread around the balls. Don’t be afraid to keep using water if you need to. It’s okay for the bread to be damp, you just don’t want it to be soggy. (refer to the photo above)

In a small, deep pan on medium heat prepare 2 cups of canola oil for frying.

frying bonda

Keep turning them as they brown. They’ll hit a beautiful golden brown but they won’t be done yet. The first photo below shows that stage but the second photo will indicate that they’re done.

unfinished bonda
finished bonda

Place the balls on a draining rack or on a paper towel.

My favorite way to each bread bonda is with ketchup or Maggi Hot and Sweet sauce!

You can make the entire batch of bonda all at once or you can store the potato filling in the fridge for up to a week!

Bread Bonda (Fried Potato Balls)

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Bread Bonda (Fried Potato Balls)
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Bread Bonda (Fried Potato Balls)

Bread Bonda is an Indian recipe for fried balls stuffed with potato, onion, and cilantro! Easy to make with household ingredients.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 20 Balls
Calories: 150kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds Gold Potatoes
  • ½ Red Onion, diced
  • 5-6 Sprigs Cilantro, finely chopped
  • ½ Tbsp Ginger, finely grated
  • ½ tsp Chili Powder
  • ½ tsp Kosher Salt
  • 20 slices White Bread Mrs Baird's Large White Bread
  • 2 Cups Canola (for frying)

Instructions

  • Boil potatoes with skin on until they can be pierced with a fork (don't overboil or they will be too mushy, boil them just until they can be pierced and no longer)
  • Drain and peel the potatoes.
  • Take a fork and lightly mashed (crumble) the potatoes. Refer to the photos in the post.
  • Mix in the ginger, onions, chili powder, salt, and cilantro. You want the potatoes to still be somewhat chunky.
  • Roll the potato mixture into ping pong sizes balls. You'll get about 20 of them.
  • Cut the crust off of your bread slices and roll lightly with a rolling pin (you can flatten the bread with your hands if you want)
  • To wrap the potato balls in the bread, you want generously wet your hands and pat the water onto the bread slices. (this will help them wrap better)
  • Place a ball on a dampened bread slice and bring the four corners together. Wet your hands again and pat the bread around the balls to seal the edges. Roll the bread ball between your palms.
  • Heat up 2 cups of canola oil in a medium pan on medium heat to shallow fry.
  • Fry the bread bondas until they are medium to dark golden brown. Turn the balls often as they fry to get an even color.
  • Enjoy with ketchup or Maggi Hot and Sweet Sauce!
  • You can refrigerate some of the potato mixture for up to a week if you don't want to make a large batch.