Chicken and vegetable weeknight curry

The question is never unexpected. “Did you put carrots in?” The answer is always prepared. “Well, this kind of curry doesn’t have carrots in it. It’s a recipe…”

Because, on most nights of a given week, I’m “doing a recipe” to publish in the coming days. And carrots don’t belong in many curries, although The Foodie’s Wife is right: they kind of do belong. They bring a certain sweetness to the dish, adding a layer of flavour that is lost without them.

In many home kitchens, potatoes go into any meaty curry out of habit. They’re found in many Durban curries too. I’m famously not a fan of potatoes in a curry. I think it’s a sneaky way of cutting costs and not putting enough meat on your plate. 

But we’re both down with whatever this cold is going around at the moment. Felt like something simple but comforting. 

“A curry?” she said. 

“Sure. And I’ll put carrots and potatoes in.”

And there you have it.

Tony’s easy weeknight chicken curry with potatoes and carrots

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

1 chicken braai pack (2 each of breasts, thighs, drumsticks, wings)

1 large onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

3 large carrots, peeled and sliced

2 large potatoes, peeled and diced

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp fennel seeds,

1 tsp yellow mustard seeds

1 piece of cassia bark

3 cloves

6 cardamom pods

A handful of dried curry leaves

3 Tbsp cooking oil

1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes plus a can of water

2 Tbsp Durban masala (or other masala)

Chopped coriander for garnish

Salt

Rice, to serve

Cucumber raita, to serve:

1 cup diced cucumber

2 heaped Tbsp plain yoghurt

2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

Salt and black pepper to taste

1 Tbsp chopped coriander

Method

Cut the chicken breasts into three chunky pieces. Leave the thighs, drumsticks and wings whole.

On a low heat, warm up the oil in a deep, heavy pot large enough to hold all of the ingredients. Add the seeds, cloves, cardamom pods and cassia bark and crumble the dried curry leaves in. Let them simmer and sizzle for 3 to 4 minutes, then add the chopped onions, followed three minutes later by the chopped garlic. Stir whenever adding an element.

Add the diced potatoes and carrot, stir so that everything is coated in the oil and seeds etcetera, turn the heat up slightly and cook, stirring now and then, for about 5 minutes.

Add the chicken portions, stir to coat with everything in the pot, and cook for 10 minutes more. Every two minutes, stir so that it doesn’t catch at the bottom of the pan.

Now add the can of chopped tomatoes. Fill the empty can with water and add that too, and salt fairly well. Don’t get carried away with the salt, you can always adjust the salting later. Stir in the masala.

Put the heat up high, bring to a boil, then turn down to a moderate simmer.

Cook, uncovered, until the chicken is tender, about half an hour to 40 minutes.

Mix the cucumber raita ingredients together in a small howl.

Serve with chopped coriander leaves and plain rice and the raita alongside. DM

Tony Jackman is twice winner of the Galliova Food Writer of the Year award, in 2021 and 2023.

Follow Tony Jackman on Instagram @tony_jackman_cooks.

This dish is photographed on a plate by Mervyn Gers Ceramics.