Chicken Vindaloo

In India, traditional vindaloo recipes incorporate either chicken or lamb. Since lamb is many more times expensive there, cooks will sometimes stretch the quantity of lamb vindaloo by adding potatoes to the dish. Although this isn't considered true to the heart of what a vindaloo is, we like the idea of the potato. Because Real Grubbin is paleo diet-oriented, we're not gonna use the potato or the lamb. So, we're subbing in turnips for taters and chicken for 'chops. We love the balance of the sweet spices with the fiery punch of the cayenne here—a trait that is so well executed in Indian cuisine. Serve this curry dish over our yellow curry cauliflower rice for a full meal.

Ingredients

• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 1 tsp cardamom seeds
• 1 cinnamon stick (3 inch)
• 1/2 tsp brown mustard seeds
• 1 tsp fenugreek
• 5 tbs white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp raw honey
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 2 yellow onions, sliced
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 inch fresh ginger, peeled, chopped
• 10 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 tbs coriander, ground
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 2 lb chicken breast, cubed
• 8 oz organic tomato sauce
• 2 small turnips, peeled, cubed

Directions

1. In a spice grinder, grind the cumin, peppercorns, cardamom, cinnamon, mustard seed and fenugreek.
2. In a bowl, mix the spices, vinegar, salt, cayenne and honey.
3. In a dutch oven, heat 1/4 cup of the oil over medium.
4. Add the onions and caramelize the to a dark golden brown color, 20 minutes.
5. Put the onions in a blender, leaving the oil in the dutch oven.
6. Add 3 tbs water to the blender, pureé smooth.
7. Add the onion mixture to the spices and vinegar, stir well.
8. In the blender, pureé the ginger, garlic and 3 tbs water.
9. Heat the remaining 1/4 cup of oil over medium.
10. Add the ginger garlic paste, cook 1 minute.
11. Add the coriander, turmeric and chicken. Cook until the chicken browns on the outside.
12. Add the spice onion paste (your vindaloo paste), tomato sauce and the turnips to the pot. Bring to boil.
13. Cover and reduce to a simmer, cook 35 or until the turnips are tender.

Serves 5–6.

adapted from: India Snacks