Yogurt Curry Sauce Recipes

Steps:

• Toast the cumin: Heat the oil in a large, deep pot over medium heat until it shimmers. Sprinkle in the cumin seeds and stir; they should sizzle on contact, become fragrant and darken slightly.
• Caramelize the onion: Immediately add the red onion and bay leaves to the pot. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is dark chestnut brown, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Make the tomato base: While the onion is cooking, drain the juice from the can of tomatoes into a liquid measuring cup; set aside. Puree the tomatoes, garlic, ginger, chiles, turmeric and paprika in a food processor.
• Saute the base: Add the tomato base to the onion mixture and cook, stirring, until thick and paste-like, 10 minutes. When the mixture starts sticking to the bottom of the pot, add the chicken and potatoes. Cook, stirring, until the chicken is opaque and the sauce clings to the meat and potatoes, about 5 minutes.
• Simmer the curry: Add the honey to the reserved tomato juice, then add enough water to make 1 1/2 cups of liquid; pour into the pot. Season with salt to your liking and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low and gently simmer, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender and the sauce is slightly thickened, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Adjust the seasoning: Gently stir the yogurt into the curry. Taste for seasoning and add salt, if necessary. Sprinkle with the Garam Masala and serve over rice. Top with cilantro.
• Shell the cardamom: Gently crack open the green and black cardamom pods with a mortar and pestle (or crush them on a cutting board using a heavy pan). Remove the seeds and discard the husks.
• Grind the spices: Finely grind the cardamom seeds, cinnamon sticks and cloves in a spice or coffee grinder. Store in an airtight container away from direct sunlight for up to 1 year.

Steps:

• If yogurt is very thin, put it in a cheesecloth-lined strainer over a bowl. Cut cucumber in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Chop flesh, sprinkle it with salt and put in a strainer over a bowl.
• If making spice mix (see note), combine all spices in a skillet and toast over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Grind to a coarse powder in a spice mill.
• Put a skillet over medium heat; if it is other than nonstick, add oil. Season fish with salt and pepper and add it to pan; raise heat to medium high. Combine cucumber with yogurt and one tablespoon of spice mix in a bowl; taste and adjust seasoning.
• After salmon has cooked for 4 minutes, turn it and cook on other side another 2 to 5 minutes. Serve, browned side up, with sauce and lime on the side.

Steps:

• In a blender or small food processor blend together 1/2 cup of the yogurt, the chutney, and the lime juice until the mixture is smooth, transfer the mixture to a bowl, and whisk in the remaining 1/4 cup yogurt, the mayonnaise, the curry powder, the 2 tablespoons onion, and salt and pepper to taste. Chill the sauce, covered, for at least 8 hours and up to 3 days. Transfer the sauce to a serving dish and sprinkle it with the additional onion.

Steps:

• Mix garlic, oil, curry powder, 1 cup yogurt, 2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 cup water in a large bowl. Working in batches, add chicken thighs and turn to coat, using your hands to rub marinade under skin of each thigh. Transfer to a resealable plastic bag and chill at least 3 hours or up to overnight.
• Position a rack in upper third of oven and preheat to 425°F. Transfer marinated chicken, skin side up, to a 13x9" baking dish. Roast chicken until skin is browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of chicken registers 165°F, about 35 minutes. If chicken skin starts to burn, move pan to a lower rack to finish cooking.
• Transfer chicken to a serving platter, reserving pan juices. Whisk lemon juice, 1/4 cup pan juices, remaining 1 cup yogurt, and remaining 1/2 tsp. salt in a medium bowl. If sauce is too thick, add more pan juices. Serve sauce alongside chicken.
• Do Ahead
• Chicken can marinate up to 1 day before cooking. Keep chilled.