My mum's chicken potato curry recipe is a favorite with all of our family and friends. Easy to make and insanely delicious!
Mum's Chicken Potato Curry Recipe
We each have certain foods that evoke strong childhood memories, taking us back to a time when we sat at the family table, feet dangling several inches from the floor, while we waited for our mum or dad to serve up their specialty. For some, that might be a warming chicken noodle soup or a pan of spiced apple crisp. For others, maybe it means the family mac 'n cheese recipe or grilled cheese sandwiches dipped in tomato soup. For me, it's my mum's chicken and potato curry, served with basmati rice, tomatoes, cucumbers, bananas (don't knock it 'til you try it), mango chutney and naan bread.
Several weeks ago, a group of Utah food bloggers were congregated at Barbara's (of Barbara Bakes) house for a baby shower for Maria (of Two Peas and Their Pod). As food bloggers tend to do, we spent a good portion of the evening talking about and eating good food - that is, when we weren't telling Maria stories of birthing nightmares while still reassuring her that everything was going to be okay. Why do we do that to other women? Anyways, Heidi (of Foodiecrush Magazine), who has a gift for getting people to tell their stories (there's a reason this woman is in journalism), had all of us revealing our favorite dishes from childhood - dishes that our mums and dads would make regularly, dishes that were their specialties. As interesting as the food itself were the memories that went with it. So, what do food bloggers do with material like this? We blog about it, of course.
As I have mentioned in previous posts, my mum grew up in Jamaica before moving to Canada in her teens. Growing up surrounded by aunts, a mother and a grandmother who embraced cooking with a variety of spices, my mum earned a palate and appreciation for spicy, savory dishes. This curry is known amongst family members and friends, and has been requested too many times to count over the years. As a kid, the best part was eating each spoonful of curry with basmati rice, chopped cucumbers, tomatoes and bananas (a Jamaica influence, I suppose). Topped with dollops of mango chutney and raita (a cooling yogurt sauce with grated cucumber and ground coriander), each bite was a little different and had tinges of sweet and savory to complement the heat. To sop up the gravy, we used naan bread and our tongues. Yeah, just kidding. But it was that good.
To bring everything full circle, the Le Creuset pot seen in these photos is the same one used by my grandparents to make their curries. It is now in my kitchen and I use it with pride, knowing my grandparents served dishes made with care and love for many years.
(Several people have asked me about the saucepan seen in the photos. It was handed down to me from my grandparents, but it is the classic Le Creuset Signature Round Wide 3-½-Quart Dutch Oven. It has held many curries over the years and works beautifully for this stew.)
This curry can be mild or spicy, depending on the type of curry paste you use. The brand my mum and I use, Patak's, is available in mild and spicy. Pick your poison.
The recipe:
Heat canola oil in a large saucepan set over medium heat. Add apples, green onions and ginger and cook, stirring frequently, until apple begins to soften, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds.
Turn heat to medium-low and add Patak's curry paste and cook, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes.
Turn heat back to medium and add chicken thighs and ½ cup water. Cook, turning chicken frequently, for 10 minutes. Add coconut milk and turn chicken to coat.
In a small bowl, stir together cumin, coriander and 4 teaspoons water to make a paste. Stir into the curry. Add cayenne pepper, if desired. Season with salt.
Add potatoes, cover pot with lid ajar, turn heat to low to medium-low and simmer for 1 to 2 hours, or until chicken is cooked through and the gravy thickens.
Serve with basmati rice, naan, raita, mango chutney and diced cucumbers, tomatoes and bananas.
Printable Recipe
Mum’s Chicken & Potato Curry
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons canola oil
- 2 Gala apples cut into ¼-inch dice
- 3 green onions sliced
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 10 ounce jar mild curry paste (I use Patak's)
- 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- ½ cup water
- 1 14 ounce can light coconut milk 14 oz. light coconut milk
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 4 teaspoons water
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 small red-skinned potatoes cut into ½-inch dice
Instructions
- Heat canola oil in a large saucepan set over medium heat. Add apples, green onions and ginger and cook, stirring frequently, until apple begins to soften, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds.
- Turn heat to medium-low and add Patak's curry paste and cook, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes.
- Turn heat back to medium and add chicken thighs and ½ cup water. Cook, turning chicken frequently, for 10 minutes.
- Add coconut milk and turn chicken to coat.
- In a small bowl, stir together cumin, coriander and 4 teaspoons water to make a paste. Stir into the curry. Add cayenne pepper, if desired. Season with salt.
- Add potatoes, cover pot with lid ajar, turn heat to low to medium-low and simmer for 1 to 2 hours, or until chicken is cooked through and the gravy thickens.
- Serve with basmati rice, naan, raita, mango chutney and diced cucumbers, tomatoes and bananas.
Nutrition
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Soma
Loving the apples and the coconut milk here. and the potatoes in the curry makes my heart sing. It is so familiar in my home to use potatoes in a chicken curry Makes me think of what we call a Sunday Lunch Chicken Curry 🙂
Lydia (The Perfect Pantry)
I can imagine that pot holding the good flavors of all the curries that have gone before. What a wonderful legacy to have in your kitchen.
Madi @ Sit Down and Eat Your Peas!
And as I'm stumbling around, discovering new blogs to follow I find curry AND naan recipes all within the same page...uhm did I just find my heaven? 😉
kellypea @ sass & veracity
I've been craving curry and like many home cooked meals connected to our childhood memories, this sounds delicious. I will trust you on the bananas!
sippitysup
Apples, huh? Cool! GREG
Sylvie @ Gourmande in the Kitchen
Jamaica, how cool. I love that the Le Creuset pot is still going strong in your family!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
Thanks, Sylvie. I think that pot is going to out-live all of us. It is a workhorse!
Feast on the Cheap
I absolutely adore chicken curry but I've never had it with apples. This looks wonderful!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
The flavor of the apples is not overwhelming. They just add a subtle sweetness to the curry.
Dan
That looks delicious - kinda shocked that you used an *entire jar* of paste, tho. When I used Patak's, I only used one to three tablespoons.
My mother-in-law makes curries with fruit as well. I've used bananas in a carrot curry before. It all tastes excellent.
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
Thanks, Dan. I know a whole jar seems like a lot, but I guarantee that this curry is delicious and beautifully balanced. Carrot curry sounds wonderful - I'll have to check your site for that one.
KalynsKitchen
Your mom's curry sounds delicious. I'm a big fan of Patak's; even have a cookbook using their products.
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
I'll have to flip through that cookbook the next time I'm at your house.
Becky at VintageMixer
This sounds delicious! I love that there are apples in it too. And I love that your mom served it with bananas and cucumbers 🙂 My mom would also try to include all of the food groups in our meals growing up.
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
Thanks, Becky. The freshness of the apples, tomatoes and bananas balances the flavor of the curry so well.