A chicken passanda is a relatively mild ‘Mughal’ curry loaded with yoghurt and almond and is one of my absolute favourites.
Chicken Passanda.
This chicken passanda recipe was born out of a rather disappointing visit to an Indian restaurant in Budapest. A trip of all things, to get a broken tooth fixed.
It was my first visit to a dentist in 25 years and not one that I relished. I have no issue with dentists. I do however have an irrational phobia of injections.
So after I got all fixed up and things had worn off I was given a big boy treat of a night out in the big city as a result of being a ‘brave little soldier’.
My choice for a night out will typically always involve lots of beer. Some loud heavy rock music and a curry.Rather than go to one of our tried and trusted restaurants I figured we would try somewhere new that had decent reviews.
My wife ordered the chicken passanda and me the lamb vindaloo. Both dishes I love cooking at home. You can see a slightly sideways glance at a pork vindaloo here. Or indeed the more familiar beef vindaloo recipe here!
Now whilst I may say our visit was disappointing it was not really that bad my wifes dish was superb. My vindaloo however was all a bit meh.
Really not what it should have been which is astringent and sour pierced with a nice heat and some fragrant background flavours.
What I got was a tomato based sauce that was just chili hot. Not to the extent that it was unpleasant, in fact, it was quite nice, just not a vindaloo.
Inedible Garnishes!
The following morning we got up with a thick head and we were discussing dinner on the 2 1/2 hour drive home. My wife kept going on about how great her curry was. As a result, about halfway home we veered off the motorway to pick up some chicken and some almonds. It was time to have my own awesome chicken passanda.
It is a triumph of a dish, loaded with fragrant spices and a lovely mellow hint of almond and punches of fresh coriander. The coriander is by no means a garnish on this dish, it is integral.
I don’t do garnish, it has no place on a plate of food for me. Everything on a plate should add something to what I am eating and if it does not, I want to know what on earth it is doing there.
It is one of my food ‘hates’! So much so I have on rare occasions complained to waiters in restaurants about it. Not in a particularly rude way.
However, when I am asked if enjoyed my meal I would point out that I did although I found the raw piece of rosemary on my plate particularly inedible.
Yes I really can be that guy!
Anyways, you guys need to be heading the kitchen now to make your own chicken passanda, I have a football match to watch.
England Vs Wales in Euro 2016 no less, this could be a fraught afternoon!
Chicken Passanda
A chicken passanda is a relatively mild 'Mughal' curry loaded with yoghurt and almond and is one of my absolute favourites.
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp Cooking oil
- 3 Green Cardamom Pods Bruised with the side of a knife
- 125 g Onion Finely Diced
- 15 g Ginger Grated
- 3 Cloves Garlic Mashed
- 1/4 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 3/4 Tsp Ground Coriander
- 1/2 Tsp Ground Kashmiri Chili Powder
- 1/2 Tsp Ground Turmeric
- 1/2 Tsp Ground Cumin
- 1 Tbsp Ground Almonds
- 100 g Natural Yoghurt
- 2 Chicken Breasts Skinless cut into 4 large pieces each
- 1/4 Tsp Salt
- 2 Tbsp Water
- 10 g Flaked Almonds
- Fresh Coriander Roughly chopped and loads of it
Instructions
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Begin by toasting your almond flakes in a dry pan and set aside for the end of the dish, keep an eye on them it is very easy to burn nuts.
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Now add the cooking oil to the pan over a medium high heat and fry off the cardamom pods for 30 seconds before adding in the onions and cooking until they just start to brown which should take around 5 minutes.
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Add the garlic and ginger and cook on for a further 2 minutes.
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It is now spice time, throw in all of the spice powders, cumin, chili, coriander, turmeric and cinnamon and cook out for 30 seconds, stirring continuously.
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Add the chicken and stir to coat in the spicy mix.
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Now finally add the yoghurt, ground almonds, salt and water then reduce the heat to medium and cook out for 15-20 minutes.
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The sauce should thicken nicely and cling to the chicken.
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Finish the dish with the flaked almonds and the coriander
Recipe Notes
I favour serving this dish with a plain boiled rice, the subtle fragrant flavours in this dish are easily masked, however a chapati or a naan bread would also work a treat.
I made this tonight. The flavors are excellent and I love th spice balanced with the yoghurt. Th almonds compliment it beautifully, both ground in the sauce and on top with the coriander. Two thumbs up!
I’m so glad you liked it Helen, I love this recipe and wish I could cook it more often.
Oh, this chicken passanda looks amazing. I’m actually off to make a curry now. I have to say that for me nothing compares to a nice home cooked made from scratch dish and when it comes to curries homemade is by far the best! ??
Talking about dentist, ? I’ve got an appointment tomorrow. Wish me luck as injection is inevitable.
I do hope that your appointment was not too bad and that you have recovered… You defo deserve a curry as a reward 😀
Congratulation on your bravery, my reward for early morning blood test is always a croissant. I am glad you were able to compensate your bad experience with your own chicken passanda, home cooking is always the best. Sooo, as tomorrow is the start of 6 Nation, I am going to the shop to buy the ingredients for this passanda…..Italy vs England I will remind you !!!!!
I’m not a fan of the oval ball I am afraid, sends me to sleep. That and cricket really, apart from that I’m pretty cool with most sports, so long as I can have a beer and a curry after 😉
I like the sound of loads of coriander – and that it’s integral to the dish. Sounds delicious and I luckily have all those spices on hand.
So often corriander is used as a garnish and really serves no purpose but here the citrus flavour is there to sit along side and counteract the richness of the almonds.
I have to confess, I don’t think I’ve ever tried chicken passanda! It sounds amazing though, and I actually have all the ingredients! It looks so warm and comforting!
I think of it a an interesting version of a korma, everyone knows a korma but it is pretty dull, this is much more interesting.
For once I actually have all but one of the ingredients in your recipe 😛 I am looking for some new ways to enjoy chicken this summer and just added this one to the list!
Hehe, it is strange how common place ingredients change from one geographical location to another. Most of what I cook with I have been cooking with as a regular ingredient for nigh on 20 years yet I read some recipes on US based sites and I have to Google what many things are, it is even worst when it comes to Mexican recipes 😉
Love all of the fresh coriander here. I need to make more Indian food, this looks so so yummy!!
I think everyone needs a bit more Indian food in their life, even me and I eat it at least once a week 😮
First, this has made my “must try” list because I love Indian flavors, especially when I already have all ingredients except the yogurt at home. Second, I completely agree with you regarding garnish and don’t understand unnecessary garnishes on plates, neither in restaurant presentation or photography…
Totally with you on Indian flavours, so much vibrance and complexity of flavour for relatively little work and yay to a fellow ‘if I can’t eat it get rid of it’ supporter 😀
I love the sound of this – I’m putting passanda on my list of dishes to make at home soon!
Enjoy Corina 🙂
That sounds fabulous and those warm curry seasonings are some of my favorites! I will have to try this soon! I’m pinning it so I don’t lose it! ?
Thanks Lisa, it is definitely a good ‘un! I hope you enjoy.
Love me some SPICE! And you definitely got it going on right here. This would be a great recipe to try out . Pinning
Thank you, I hope you enjoy it as much as we do 🙂
What a vibrant looking curry! Yum!
Thanks Eileen.
I’m not sure I’ve ever had a passanda before, but the flavours sound absolutely delicious. Will definitely be trying your sauce recipe!
Thanks Becca, the sauce could be put to a lot of uses, I particularly love it as a dip for roasted broccoli, the almond flavours really work so well 🙂
Would you please be my next door neighbor? Please. This looks AH-MAZING!
Thank you 🙂 Hehe, is that just a neighbour or a neighbour that shares 😉
This chicken looks absolutely incredible. Sorry about your poor restaurant experience. This sounds like it would be a favorite of mine as well.
Thanks Tara, it wasn’t really that poor just average… Not what I was aiming for as a reward for doing ‘grown up things’ 😉 Definitely a great curry though 🙂