Indian Meals Under $25: Chicken Coconut Curry, Chana Masala, Cilantro Chicken Curry & Chickpea Fritters

Step 1: Prepare Ginger Garlic Paste

Peel the entire head of garlic and the piece of ginger. Grind them together in a spice grinder with a blending attachment until a smooth paste is formed. Store in a container.

Step 2: Debone Chicken Thighs and Prepare Stock

Debone the chicken thighs, trimming off any excess fat or cartilage. Reserve the bones and trimmings. Salt the deboned chicken thighs and place them on a plate to dry brine in the fridge overnight. Add the reserved chicken bones, trimmings, and onion ends/skins to a pot. Cover with water and slow cook overnight (approximately 12 hours) to create a rich chicken stock. Strain the stock and store it.

Step 3: Prepare Dosa Batter

Combine 9 oz of jasmine rice with a few ounces of dried chickpeas. Cover with water and let soak overnight (approximately 12 hours). Strain the soaked rice and chickpeas, then add them to a high-powered blender with 1 tablespoon of salt. Add just enough water to blend into a smooth batter. Pour the batter into a bowl, cover with a clean towel, and let ferment for at least one day (ideally two days) until activated.

Step 4: Soak Remaining Chickpeas

Soak the remaining dried chickpeas overnight in water. These will be used for later dishes.

Step 5: Prepare Cilantro Chutney

Cut the cilantro stems (reserving the leaves for garnish). Add the cilantro stems to a spice grinder. Add a small amount of ginger garlic paste, a sprinkle of garam masala, and salt. Whisk the whole fat coconut milk from the can to combine the cream, then add some to the grinder. Blend, adding a little water as needed, until a smooth chutney is formed. Store in a container.

Step 6: Cook Chicken Coconut Curry

Heat a wok or large pan over medium-high heat. Cut the deboned chicken thighs in half, using half for this curry and saving the rest. Place the chicken skin-side down in the hot pan (no oil needed, as fat will render). Fry until the skin is crispy, then flip and cook on the other side. Continue flipping until all sides are crispy and the chicken is mostly cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan. Add a little ghee to the pan. Fry one sliced medium onion for about 3 minutes until browned. Add ginger garlic paste and fry for about 2 minutes to caramelize. Sprinkle garam masala and toast with the aromatics for about 1 minute. Add half a jar of tomatoes and cook down for a few minutes. Add half of the remaining coconut milk, then cook and bubble away for about 10 minutes until the sauce thickens. Chop the cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces. Add the chopped chicken back into the curry and cook for another 2 minutes until it reaches the desired consistency. Serve hot with jasmine rice and garnish with fresh cilantro. (Yields 3 meals).

Step 7: Cook Chickpea Fritters

Drain about two-thirds of the soaked chickpeas and pat them bone dry. Dump the dried chickpeas into a food processor. Add about one-third of the remaining onion, a small amount of ginger garlic paste, and a generous amount of cilantro (leaves and stems). Pulse until the mixture has a texture similar to falafel mix. Heat a pan over medium heat and add a good bit of ghee. Scoop out spoonfuls of the chickpea mixture, flatten them slightly, and fry on both sides until crispy and golden brown. Remove the fritters and package them for later use. (Yields 2 meals).

Step 8: Cook Dosa (Uttapam style)

The dosa batter should have fermented for about two days. The batter will be thick, so add water until it reaches a pancake-like consistency. Preheat a pan to medium-high heat and add a little ghee. Pour the batter over the pan, spreading it as evenly as possible to cover the bottom surface. Fry for about 3 minutes until crispy, then flip and fry until crispy on the other side. Repeat with the remaining batter. (Yields enough for 4 meals when paired with curry).

Step 9: Cook Chana Masala (Chickpea & Potato Curry)

Use the remaining one-third of the soaked chickpeas. Chop up half of the remaining potatoes into small cubes. Heat a pan with some neutral oil and fry the potatoes until they are browned and crispy. Remove the potatoes from the pan. Slice the remaining onion. In the same pan, brown the sliced onion. Add ginger garlic paste and garam masala, toasting until fragrant. Add the remaining tomatoes. Instead of coconut milk, add some of the prepared chicken stock. Stir in the chickpeas and the fried potatoes. Cook down the curry for approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the chickpeas are tender and the potatoes are cooked through, thickening the curry. Serve hot with dosa and a dollop of cilantro chutney. (Yields 4 meals).

Step 10: Cook Cilantro Chicken Curry

Use the remaining half of the chicken thighs (already seasoned). Fry the chicken in a pan until crispy. Remove the chicken. Slice the remaining half of the small potato. Cook the potato slices in the rendered chicken fat until crispy (about 5 minutes) over medium-high heat. Remove the potatoes. Add a little ghee to the pan. Sprinkle garam masala directly into the pan and toast for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Add the remaining coconut milk and reduce for about 3 minutes. Stir in a little cilantro chutney. Add the cooked chicken and potatoes back into the pan. Cook everything together for a few more minutes until heated through and well combined. Serve over jasmine rice. (Yields 3 meals).

Step 11: Prepare Falafel Salads

Crumble the prepared chickpea fritters over fresh salads. (The video shows making 6 salads, counted as 2 meals for the overall total).

• Make a large batch of ginger garlic paste and cilantro chutney for quick meal prep throughout the week.

• Debone chicken thighs and use the bones/scraps to make a flavorful chicken stock overnight in a slow cooker.

• Dry brine chicken thighs overnight in the fridge to enhance flavor and texture.

• Toast garam masala directly in the pan for about 30 seconds to release its full aroma before adding liquids.

• Reduce coconut milk to caramelize it, adding another layer of flavor to curries.

• Chicken Coconut Curry

• Chickpea Fritters

• Dosa (Uttapam style)

• Chana Masala (Chickpea & Potato Curry)

• Cilantro Chicken Curry

• Falafel Salads