Tamarind Chicken Curry

This is an original recipe of mine.  This curry uses tart sweetness from tamarind and mango powder, as well as the deep savory flavor of coconut and curry leaves, to contrast the typical spiciness, and spices I usually use in chicken curry.

I was inspired by various restaurant style fish masalas, which also use tamarind.  But I wanted it with chicken, and veggies (optional).



==PREP==
BOWL 1
4 chicken thighs cubed (hard fat and tendons trimmed)
marinate :
~1 tsp chili pdr or to taste (substitute with paprika / kashmir chili pdr)
1/2 tsp tumeric pdr
salt to taste
wine as needed to dissolve all spices (i like mi jiu)

* prepare rice or bread as needed *

BOWL 2
1" ginger minced
4~5 cloves garlic minced
1-2 md onion minced
4 green chilies minced

BOWL 3
2 red bell pepper chopped, or other veg, or skip and use more chicken

BOWL 4
1.5 Tbsp tamarind extract (increase to 2~2.5 if making more spicy)
1.5 Tbsp coconut milk
1~1.5 tsp dry coriander leaves (or chop and put in 1 Tbsp)
mix

==COOK==
heat gingelly/sunflower oil (~4 Tbsp total)
once heated reduce to medium-low
temper whole garam masala
1 cinn stick
1 star anise
4~5 cloves
4~5 cardamoms
1 blk cardamom

once spices are tempered
add 1 sprig of curry leaves
add 1/2~3/4 tsp cumin seeds

once cumin seeds just change color, add onion bowl
add some salt

raise to medium-medium-high until onions start to brown

add 2 Tbsp tomato paste
add 3/4 tsp fish sauce
stir well and let the tomatoes fry and fish smell reduce some

add the chicken, stir well
let the chicken sear on one side a bit without moving
(let it bubble a couple minutes)

add veggie bowl
stir to combine

let cook until chicken is fully cooked
(stir occasionally so it does not burn, but browning is OK)
reduce heat to medium-low

~1/2 tsp chili pdr
~1/2 tsp tumeric pdr
~1/2 tsp garam masala pdr
~1/4 tsp coriander pdr
1~1.5 tsp mango pdr
1 pinch fennel seeds
add bowl of tamarind sauce
salt to taste
stir well

simmer 10 mins on medium-low
(cover / uncover / add water as needed to reach desired sauce consistency)
reduce heat to lowest
taste test and adjust as needed
simmer another 5 minutes

serve with rice or chapathis, and side dishes as desired

Pictures below if you want to see how it turns out for me

prep

whole spices once tempered

curry leaves and cumin seeds once tempered

onions / garlic / ginger lightly browned (can brown more)

pre-made tamarind sauce

onion masala now that tomato and fish sauce is added

fully cooked chicken and veg

after 10 minutes of simmering (covered), and a stir