Southern Indian Chicken Curry with Mustard Seeds

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 6 whole dried red hot chiles
• each broken into 3 or 4 pieces
• 2 teaspoons brown or yellow mustard seeds
• 1 whole cinnamon stick (3 inches)
• 1/2 teaspoon urad dal or yellow split peas
• 1 1/4 cups very thinly sliced shallots (about 4)
• 10 garlic cloves
• very thinly sliced
• 10 fresh curry leaves (optional)
• 2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
• 1 1/4 cups chopped plum tomatoes (about 3)
• 1 1/4 pounds boneless
• skinless chicken thighs
• cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
• Coarse salt
• Raita
• for serving
• Pooris
• for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking.
2. Add the chiles, mustard seeds, cinnamon, and urad dal; cook, shaking the pot, until the seeds pop, about 45 seconds.
3. Add the shallots, garlic, and curry leaves; cook, stirring, until the shallots are golden, about 4 minutes.
4. Add the ginger; cook, stirring, 1 minute.
5. Add the tomatoes; cook, stirring, 2 minutes.
6. Add the chicken; sprinkle with the turmeric and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt.
7. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes.
8. Stir in 2 cups water.
9. Bring to a boil.
10. Cover; reduce heat to medium-low.
11. Simmer until the chicken is very tender, about 30 minutes.
12. Uncover.
13. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
14. Boil until the sauce coats the meat, about 10 minutes.
15. Season with salt.
16. Serve with raita and pooris, if desired.