Durban chicken curry with green peppers - KZN curry stories 4
This Durban chicken curry with green peppers, mushrooms, cashew nuts, and yoghurt is a lesser-known Durban curry. It's origins lie in the Parsi cooking of KwaZulu-Natal, the traditions of one of the smaller cultural groups emigrating from India. It has an earthy, nutty flavour, ideal for those who don't like their curries on the sweeter side. In these quantities, it is moderately spicy, but the heat can be cranked up or toned down easily enough.
KZN curry stories 4 - the jade arcade
When I was young, one of my greatest mentors on South African Indian Diasporan cooking was not a chef or restaurant owner but a woman called Mrs Panday who, together with her husband ran a pet shop specialising in tropical fish in one of the first-floor shops in one of the arcades in Durban in Dr Yusuf Dadoo Street—Grey Street at that time.
However, not being a professional chef did not inhibit Mrs Panday's reputation as a guru on Indian Diasporan cooking and she was well known for the meals to which she would invite friends, cooked and served in the surprisingly large kitchen with a big dining table secreted at the back of their shop.
A lot of the dishes she taught me were Parsi in origin, reflecting her family's roots. The Parsis were one of the smallest cultural groups that emigrated to SouthAfrica from India from the 19th-century onwards, a tiny minority compared with Muslims from parts of India that would later become Pakistan, or Hindus from Southern India, where most of those arriving as indentured labour for sugar cane plantations had their roots. Over time, not only did Parsi recipes adapt in Africa, but Mrs Panday as a person embraced learning from—and mastering—all of the culinary influences from the Indian Subcontinent in Durban.
This particular dish was of Parsi origin and I loved it from the first moment I tasted it. Its flavour profile has an earthy, nutty, slightly creamy character, verging on nearly being bitter at times, because of the particular ingredients and spices. It was very different from other Durban chicken curries I had tasted that had very intense, fiery flavours almost teetering on being sweet in some ways. Unlike many other "Durban curries", forms of which can actually be found the length of the KZN coast, this is a curry I only ever found in Durban itself and always in relation to the Parsi community in one way or another. If you are interested, you can learn more about South African Parsi cooking on this page on the site.
It's unusual compared with many other Durban curries in other ways too in that it uses none of the citrus, coconut or other fruit flavours often used. It uses none of the whole spices—such as cinnamon sticks—that take curries in a sweeter direction. The sweeter balances are limited to a sparing amount of puréed tomato and a little brown sugar, itself balanced with vinegar. All of this makes it a great curry for those who are not wild about sweet flavours.
Rock the casbah!
Mrs Panday was always very particular about where to get exactly the right ingredients for her recipes, insisting that one needed "the good stuff". And, in the case of this curry, she insisted on two items from two vendors in the Madressa Arcade.
The Madressa Arcade was a great Orientalist affair designed by Payne & Payne Architects and opened in 1927 in what was already well established as the hub for South African Indian traders and communities. Part of a larger complex connecting to the mosque and named for the Muslim school also housed in the sprawling structure, it ran between (then) Grey Street and Cathedral Lane. A fairly narrow arcade, it was designed to offer a casbah-style atmosphere, with relatively small shops lining the arcade and galleries and little bridges above. In the time that I knew it, the walls, pillars and wrought iron work were painted in two different shades of jade green, providing a soothing backdrop to the vertigo-inducing riot of colour of the plethora of goods displayed in front of the stores. It was a magical place, always bustling with activity.
It was also home to the two places where Mrs Panday insisted I should get important ingredients. One was the spice vendor from which she insisted I source the best mother-in-law masala (still known as "mother-in-law's tongue" back then; the bad old days before its sexist name was changed) and what she considered the best kasuri methi — dried fenugreek leaves.
The other was a kind of small "general store" but one of the things it was known for locally was it was where to get the best paneer and the only place I ever knew in Durban where you could get proper Indian yoghurt (dahi), which some pedants insist are actually curds rather than yoghurt. The owner was supplied with this by a cousin who had miraculously managed to import Indian buffalo which he kept somewhere inland, producing yoghurt with buffalo milk in the way it is made in India. It came in unlabelled glass bottles very similar to old-fashioned milk bottles but with a wider neck, sealed with tin foil caps. It had a yellow colour that made it look very much like custard, and a creamy flavour that was less tart than Western yoghurts. Better still, if you took the washed bottles back to the shop, you got a discount on the next purchase, not so much a "deposit", because all you would get if you returned the rinsed bottle and didn't buy more yoghurt was a polite "Thank you"...
Make do and amend
Of course, if I had always been able to get my hands on the specific ingredients Mrs Panday had insisted upon, I almost certainly would have done so. But, in some places I have lived, it was not always possible to get your hands on Indian buffalo milk yoghurt (dahi). So, I obviously looked for the best substitutes. The same is true for the mother-in-law masala.
Even today, when it is far easy to source these specific ingredients using the Internet, I can't necessarily be bothered to travel to the other side of London to a specialist supplier and I am certainly not going to order something online when the shipping is three times the cost of the actual item itself. Unlike tinned or jarred goods that can be stored for a long time, it goes off relatively quickly and requires refrigeration, making bulk ordering impractical. The reality is that widely available full-fat Greek-style yoghurt is an entirely viable alternative.
But, the distinctive Durban mother-in-law masala is easy enough to make yourself if you have a spice grinder. I also think its flavours come through better since it has not been sitting as a powder for a long time, losing pungency. And if you can't be bothered, you can get mother-in-law masala at specialist retailers or online in many parts of the world.
Take note:
This recipe feeds 3 to 4 diners, depending on appetite and any side dishes. You can easily scale it up for a larger group—as long are you have a pot big enough in which to cook it.
In these quantities, this is a mildly-to-moderately spicy dish. It certainly isn't the cliché of a fiery Durban curry. And, indeed, I found that quite a lot of Parsi dishes were not overly spicy. But, if you want to spice it up, use more green chillies, don't deseed them and/or use more cayenne pepper. Conversely, if you want it milder, use fewer deseeded green chillies and don't add the cayenne pepper at all. You can also add more yoghurt though this pushes it in a creamier direction less like the original.
This dish keeps well in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. It does freeze well, but, if you want to freeze it, I strongly suggest pulling the chicken off the bone before freezing since freezing chicken on the bone can be fairly dangerous. For example in reheating frozen chicken on the bone, especially if reheating in a microwave, bones can shatter into sharp fragments that can be dangerous if inadvertently swallowed.
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for the mother-in-law masala
Mother-in-law masala is a spice mix specifically associated with Durban and Kwa-Zulu Natal. I prefer to grind my own and you will find the full recipe for it on this recipe page.
Readymade versions vary incredibly in their spiciness, many of them defaulting to "fiery" because Durban curries have that reputation. There are two reasons for making your own. One is that many of the readymade versions scale down the more interesting spices that bring depth. The other is that you don't control the level of spiciness you might want. My recipe is intentionally reserved on the cayenne pepper and hot chilli flakes, the ingredients that bring the fieriness, because you can always add these separately.
If you can't get your hands on mother-in-law masala or don't want to make your own, use another generic medium or hot curry powder available around the world but not Madras-stye mild curry powder.
for the Durban chicken curry with green peppers
Approx. 800g on-the-bone, skin-on chicken, thighs or legs
3 medium onions, (red or brown), diced
3 medium green bell peppers, cut vertically into thick slices
Approx. 300g large closed-cup mushrooms; cut into thick slices
1 ripe medium-to-large fresh tomato; skin on, roughly puréed; not strained
4 or 5 hot green finger chillies; sliced vertically and deseeded
2 thumb's lengths of fresh ginger and 5 cloves garlic; finely chopped; mixed together
3 handfuls of raw, unsalted cashew nuts; roughly ground
Approx. 150g full-fat Greek-style yoghurt or Indian yoghurt (dahi) if you can get it
4 to 5 tbspns sunflower oil (or peanut oil)
4 or 5 whole green cardamom pods; bruised
1 whole star anise
3tspns mother-in-law masala (see above)
4 whole cloves
2 or 3 dried bay leaves
2 tspns mild Kashmiri chilli powder
1 tspn ground cumin (jeera)
1 tspn cayenne pepper
1 tspn turmeric powder
1tspn garam masala
2 tspns Demerara sugar (or other coarse, soft brown sugar)
2 tspns distilled malt or white wine vinegar
A generous clutch of fresh coriander; roughly chopped
A handful of fresh mint, leaves plucked from stalks
A generous pinch of dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi); optional
Approx 500ml boiling water, as needed
Salt, to taste
for the potato bhaji (optional)
Approx. 3 potatoes; peeled and cut into large, irregular cubes
1 hot red chilli, chopped
1 small onion, diced
1 tspn garlic & ginger paste
A generous clutch of fresh spinach; roughly chopped
A little peanut or sunflower oil
1 tspn garam masala
1 tspn yellow mustard seeds (or cumin seeds if you prefer)
½ tspn of mild curry powder
Potato bhaji with spinach Sambal of cucumber, tomato, onion, green chilli and mint
Side dishes
This dish is almost always served with roti (chapati) rather than "Durban yellow rice", and roti is my go-to option. As a fairly thick gravy, I find it better suited to roti or even naan breads (even though these were not that common in Durban) but there is nothing to stop you serving it with rice if you prefer.
One one occasion here I am serving it simply with two different types of pickle. This is often how a note of "fruitiness" would be added at the table. I'm serving it with a very hot mixed pickle and a zingy lime pickle.
One the other occasion I'm serving it with mango chutney, a simple sambal of raw tomato, onion, cucumber, green chillis and chopped mint bathed in lemon juice and a little vinegar, and a potato side dish with which it is often served. Similar to saag aloo—which is often cooked as a vegetarian main dish with more ingredients—this slimmed-down version is usually referred to simply as potato bhaji (indicating it is a side dish) in Durban, not to be confused with the batata bhaji of Gujarati and Punjabi cooking that uses different ingredients.
That said, there are many local variations served up in Durban. Cumin seeds are often used instead of the yellow mustard seeds I am using. Turmeric is often added—which I am omitting here—and the quantities of garam masala, fresh chilli and curry powder are often double what I am using. And, green chillies will often be used instead of red. But, I find that I prefer to used more restrained quantities of chilli and spices when serving it with curries with subtle flavours so the the side dish does not overpower. But it's up to you.
Similarly, I am using a variety of heritage spinach that I find closer to the kinds of spinach you could buy from Indian producers in Durban. With long stems and dark green leaves that are thicker than those of the dominant Mediterranean spinach varieties available in UK supermarkets, it's closer to chard, but actually a true spinach. I was told by the greengrocer that it's called Matador spinach, but I'm not 100% convinced it is looking at images and taste descriptors online: this spinach isn't sweet, with a flavour closer to those "iron" notes you find in beet spinach or cavolo nero. But, any form of fresh spinach will do, or, indeed, fresh coriander that is frequently used as an alternative, especially if serving it with very spicy fish or seafood curries.
It is also often cooked adding the potatoes raw without first blanching. Some insist this is the "authentic" way to do it, but I believe it's just a matter of preference. If adding the potatoes raw, they will remain slightly al dente—unless you want all the other ingredients overcooked. This seems to be the preferred texture for potatoes in some Indian dishes, but I personally am not a fan of it.
Cooking Method
the Durban chicken curry with green peppers
Heat approx. half the oil in the pot in which you will cook the curry on a medium heat. When hot, brown the chicken on all sides until the skin just begins to turn golden, seasoning with nothing except a little salt. Depending on the size of your chicken pieces, this usually takes 5 to 8mins. Remove the chicken and place to one side. Cover the pot and turn off the heat. Allow to cool to a lower heat (at least 8 to 10mins)—if you don't, the spice powders will burn when you add them
Turn on the heat again, this time to a low-medium heat, adding the additional oil—you may not need to add all of it, depending on the quantity of juices exuded by the chicken. Add all of the whole spices and all of the powdered spices except for the garam masala and the cayenne pepper. When the aromas release, add the onions and green chillies, mix in and gently sauté
When the onions are moderately soft, add the green peppers and stir in. Slightly increase the heat and sauté together stirring almost constantly, adding small dashes of the water to prevent sticking if needed i.e. just enough to coat the bottom of the pot
Add the garlic and ginger and stir in. As soon as the aromas release, add a dash of water to prevent sticking, stirring almost constantly, for another minute
Add all of the ground cashew nuts and mix in. Allow to briefly "toast" on the bottom of the pot before adding another dash of water and effectively "deglazing", scraping any nuts, garlic or ginger pieces from the bottom of the pot
Add the mushrooms and fold in, trying not to break up the thick pieces. Sauté until the mushrooms begin to brown, but are not yet soft (NB, if using small button mushrooms, cook them whole)
Add the puréed tomato and fold in, cooking for about a minute, stirring almost constantly to prevent sticking. Then add 450ml of boiling water, stirring in and scraping the bottom of the pot with your wooden spoon or spatula to loosen any stuck "bits". Reduce the the heat, cover and gently simmer for 10mins
Add the chicken pieces back into the pot, at the same time adding and the cayenne pepper. Press down the chicken pieces so that they are almost submerged in the liquid; scooping the larger vegetable pieces up towards the surface so that they are not pressed down against the bottom of the pot. Add a little more boiling water if the liquid has cooked down too much to largely submerge the chicken. Re-cover and gently simmer for another 15 to 20mins on a low heat
Uncover and add the sugar and vinegar and gently stir in. Gently simmer, uncovered, for another 10 to 15mins to allow the sauce to further reduce, stirring occasionally
When the sauce nears optimal consistency (the end result should be fairly thick), add the garam masala and stir in followed by the coriander and mint. After about 3 to 4mins, add the yoghurt and stir in so that it is fully assimilated. As soon as the gravy has reached optimal consistency, remove from the heat.
Using clean fingertips, flake in the dried fenugreek leaves by breaking them up as you sprinkle onto the surface of the curry. Only minimally stir it in. Cover and allow the dish to rest for a few minutes
Plate and take to table with your preferred side dishes
the potato bhaji
Cook the potato cubes in salted boiling water for 4mins, then blanch by running cold water over them in the colander. Drain fully
Heat the oil in a pan, adding the garam masala, yellow mustard seeds and curry powder before it is too hot to burn them. When the aromas release (and the seeds begin to pop), add the onions, stirring in. Increase the heat slightly and sauté until the onions begin to caramelise at the edges. Add the garlic & ginger paste and stir in
As soon as the aroma releases, add the potatoes and red chilli. Stir almost constantly as the potatoes cook. At the point that the potatoes begin to crumble on the outside but are cooked yet firm on the inside, add the spinach and fold in. Don't overcook the spinach, cooking for barely a minute if using most types of spinach, but about 2mins if using thicker, tougher varieties—such as I am using here—and once barely cooked, season with salt, then remove from the heat
Cover to keep warm before taking to table
Alternatives
There are a number of ways this carnivore dish is easily turned lactovegetarian. One is simply by using Quorn "chicken" fillets. Sauté these in a separate pan in a drop of oil and half a teaspoon of garam masala. Add them when the gravy has already reduced, just before adding the coriander and mint (step 10 above). Adding them too early will cause them to break down.
Alternatively simply increase the quantities of green bell peppers and mushrooms but otherwise cook in the same way. This is my preferred option of the two. It also is the best way to make a vegan version. You can either add a little coconut milk instead of the yoghurt. This will alter the baseline flavour towards the sweet, not the same flavour experience, but very tasty nonetheless. Alternatively you can just reduce down the sauce without adding anything, again, very tasty. But, avoid using vegan "yoghurts". They either tend to clot or, the only one I have used that did not, a soya-based product, gave the sauce a very strange aftertaste.
Parsi cooking does feature a lot of seafood and fish but with recipes that are very different from this one. However, the best pescatarian version of this dish I have tasted was with thick rings of squid, added raw about 5mins before adding the coriander and mint (step 10 above).
Pairings
Durban curries are generally paired with beer of non-alcoholic drinks, though Parsis' traditional religion is Zoroastrianism, which does not forbid the consumption of alcohol. On the beer front, I think this is one of those curries that works best with any cold mainstream lager or IPA of the kind without all the fruity or botanics trickery many "craft" IPAs promise i.e. a fairly traditional IPA.
Any number of non-alcoholic drinks work with this one, but I remember Mrs Panday always loving it with a Sprite with a lot of ice. I can see exactly why: the refreshing notes of lemon and lime nicely balance the earthy, nuttiness of the sauce.
On the wine front, in an unexpected twist, this is not a curry that I usually pair with my go-to "curry wine" of Chenin Blanc. There is something about the subtle flavours of this dish that don't need that slightly brutish quality of the best Chenin Blancs. On the whole, I tend to pair it with a South African or Australian Chardonnay.
My top tip for value-for-quality is Rustenberg Chardonnay, a nicely dry wine with notes of woods and vanilla that map perfectly onto the earthy creaminess of this curry. Or, if you want to push the boat out, go for a Meerlust Chardonnay with similar buttery and nutty notes but a slight edge on the overall impressiveness of the wine.
On the Aussie front, if you're looking for a workaday wine at very reasonable prices—which I usually am since I hardly ever serve this dish for special occasions—Andrew Peace Masterpeace Chardonnay is, in my opinion, better than many wine snobs rate it simply because it's too affordable and widely available for their liking. Although stronger on the citrus notes, those woody, butterscotch notes are in there nonetheless. But, it you want to indulge yourself or others—as I usually do on the rare occasions I cook this dish for curry fans; I enjoy their surprise at a curry very different from those they know—I tend to look for Leeuwin Estate Prelude Vineyards Chardonnay. There are plenty of renowned Aussie Chardonnays that cost silly money, including some from the same winery, but this is an astoundingly good wine for the price. Creamy, woody notes and white fruits are at the fore with background tinges of citrus.
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