Pheasant curry, a delicious hot and sour Indian-inspired recipe featuring the earthy sourness of tamarind tempered with silky coconut milk.
Both the leg and breast are showcased in this unusual curry recipe that, prep aside, takes just 35 minutes to cook.
Game Bird Curry
You don't have to dig deep into my website to find a curry recipe that showcases an ingredient that is not usually associated with Indian curries.
Whether it be the atypical beef variants of popular British Indian curries like beef bhuna and chicken Ceylon, or something using game, like my Indian inspired duck curry.
I even have a sea bass curry and Indian curried mussels too!
This pheasant curry joins that long list, and I love this dish. It is hot and sour with fairly delicate spicing that allows the subtle flavour of pheasant to shine through.
The green beans add a wonderful flavour and texture to the silky smooth coconut milk gravy.
We get a wonderful earthy sourness from tamarind, which is a perfect match for the delicious game bird.
If you are hunting for something with similar flavours but with an altogether more identifiable meat, then check out my South Indian coconut chicken curry.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do you add the leg and the breast separately?
Pheasant is a delicate meat, and overcooking it can lead to stringy and tough meat. The leg takes a little longer to cook than the breast.
By adding the two pieces of meat separately, you avoid this.
How do I joint a pheasant?
The pheasant is very similar to a chicken. Removing the breasts and the legs uses the same process as you would with a chicken. I have added a video below showing how I do this.
Do not separate the pheasant thigh and drumstick; they are too small.
Can I avoid the drumstick being fibrous?
Unfortunately, this is all defined by the age of the bird, and with it being a pseudo-wild product, it is difficult to guarantee.
Grab some wipes and chow down on that bad boy! It is still delicious, even if it is less than easy to eat.
Can I use tamarind concentrate or paste?
Yes, but tread lightly, tamarind concentrate comes in very different strengths, and it can overpower a dish if overused.
If you want to use it, pick your brand and get to know it well and stick with it.
Can I use tamarind chutney or sauce?
I would not, tamarind sauces and chutneys often contain a large amount of sugar as well as other ingredients.
As a result, they will change this dish significantly, by all means, try, but as with using concentrate, you should tread carefully.
Can I make this in advance?
No, the pheasant will almost certainly overcook when this is reheated!
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve this game curry with some plain boiled or steamed rice.
However, it is superb with pilau rice or even some turmeric rice too!
As with all curries, I am fond of serving it with flatbread. We have a lovely, fairly loose sauce here, and my tandoori style naan bread is perfect. But chapatis would work really well too!
If you wanted to do something a little different, you could serve this with my roast Bombay potatoes.
Equipment Used
I only mention specific brands of equipment if I think they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Hob/stovetop.
- 24cm or 10" saucepan with a lid.
- Frying pan, large enough for frying the pheasant. Anything larger than 24cm or 10" should be fine.
- Mixing and or prep bowls.
- Fine mesh sieve.
- Chopping board.
- Kitchen knife.
- A combination of weighing scales, a measuring jug, measuring cups and spoons.
- Kettle.
- Grater.
Pheasant Curry Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Medium Pheasant 750g
- ¼ teaspoon Cumin
- ¼ teaspoon Coriander
- ¼ teaspoon Kashmiri Chilli Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric
- ½ teaspoon Salt plus salt to taste for the sauce
- 35 g Tamarind pulp 40mm or 1.5" Cube
- 2 Garlic Cloves
- 20 g Ginger ½ Thumb-sized piece
- 1 Small-Medium Echalion or Banana Shallot 35g
- 1 Small-Medium Tomato 100g
- 1 Green Finger Chilli
- 6 cardamom pods
- ½ teaspoon Fennel Seeds
- 12 Curry Leaves
- 1 Blade Mace
- 1 Cinnamon Stick
- 1 tablespoon Tomato Puree
- 200 g Tin of Coconut Milk 7oz
- 100 ml Water ⅓ Cup + 1 tablespoon
- ½ teaspoon Amchoor
- 1 tablespoon Light Brown Sugar
- 2 tablespoon Ghee
- 2 tablespoon Cooking Oil
- 75 g Green Beans ½ Cup
- Coriander to serve
Instructions
- Remove the leg and breast from the pheasant.
- Mix together the cumin, coriander, chilli powder, turmeric and salt in a bowl and then use it to season the pheasant pieces.
- Pour 35ml (2 tablespoons) of boiling water over the tamarind, mash it with a fork and allow it to sit for 5 minutes.
- Cut the shallot in half lengthways and then dice it as finely as you can.
- Mash the garlic cloves into a paste.
- Grate the ginger.
- Cut the green chilli in half lengthways.
- Cut the tomato into a 5-7mm (½") dice.
- Heat the ghee in a medium (24cm or 10") saucepan over a medium heat.
- Add the curry leaves, green chilli, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, fennel seeds, and mace, then cook for 1 minute.
- Throw in the diced shallot, mashed garlic and grated ginger and cook for another minute.
- Add the diced tomato and tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring regularly.
- Pour in the coconut milk, water and add the brown sugar and amchoor, then mix.
- Push the tamarind through a fine-mesh sieve into the pan, stir well, have a taste and add salt as required.
- Heat the cooking oil in a separate frying pan over a medium heat.
- When it is hot, add the pheasant legs and sear for 2 minutes on each side.
- Transfer the legs to the sauce, reduce the heat to low, add a lid and cook for 9-10 minutes.
- Sear the pheasant breast in the same pan you cooked the legs in for 1-2 minutes on each side and transfer it to the sauce and cook for 5 minutes.
- Cut the green beans into 7.5cm (3") lengths and add them to the curry for a final 2 minutes.
- Serve, ensuring that you remove the mace, cardamom pods and cinnamon stick.
Olly
Saturday 25th of November 2023
I tried this and it was good so thanks. I doubled it up and it worked. I didn't double sugar though - I think might have been a bit sweet for us with more sugar. You've got a couple of differences between the ingredients list and the instructions. Green chilli is on the instructions but not the list and amchoor is on the list but not the instructions! Other than that - great recipe and thanks for posting - the kids loved it too.
Brian Jones
Wednesday 13th of December 2023
Glad you and your enjoyed this Olly, thanks for flagging my errors, I've fixed them now :)