Creamy chicken curry, full of spices, rich, velvety, gloriously aromatic, and beautifully luxurious

We begin with 1.5kg of skinless chicken legs, wonderfully succulent and perfect for slow cooking. Into this goes 2 tablespoons danya jeera, 1 heaped teaspoon red chilli powder, 1 teaspoon turmeric, 1 tablespoon salt, 2 tablespoons ginger paste, and 2 tablespoons garlic paste. Give it all a thorough mixing — no need for long marinations; just let it rest politely while the onions get going.

In a large pan, heat ¼ cup oil to a steady medium heat. Then add 2 onions, blitzed or finely chopped. Cook them gently until they’re a deep caramel-kissed golden brown. Slow and steady, burnt onions are not invited today.

When they’re about 70% done, add your dry aromatics:

• 1 tsp cardamom
• 1 tsp cloves
• 1 small stick cinnamon
• 1 tsp black peppercorns

Toast them with the onions until everything smells intoxicatingly divine.

Once the onions are beautifully golden, add the marinated chicken, every last bit of spice included. Turn up the heat and sear until the chicken looks bronzed and glorious.

Halfway through, drop in 3 whole green chillies for aroma and gentle heat. If it looks a bit dry, add a touch more oil, we want confident frying, not chaos.

Once seared, add just ½ cup water, bring to a gentle boil, cover, and cook on low for 30 minutes. The chicken will release its own juices; no more water needed.

After 30 minutes, it’s time for the star ingredient:
400g evaporated milk.
This is what transforms the curry into something rich, velvety, nostalgic, and utterly indulgent, my favourite dish from my mum.

Mix well, bring to a gentle boil, and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, letting everything marry together gracefully. The oil will rise beautifully, the universal sign of a finished curry.

Finish with a generous handful of fresh coriander.

And there you have it, Mum’s creamy chicken curry. A dish I used to devour so fast the washing up became a breeze. Mild, family-friendly, perfect with rice, roti, or naan, and even better meal-prepped.