Bangladesh Curry

Introduction

This Bangladesh curry builds its sauce from fresh tomatoes, ginger, garlic, and warm spices—no cream, no shortcuts—and comes together in under 90 minutes total. The chicken poaches gently in the spiced tomato base until tender, then yoghurt and lime juice balance the sweetness and add brightness. Serve it over rice for a straightforward weeknight dinner.

Recipe Details

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 50 minutes
• Total Time: 80 minutes
• Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 4-6 medium tomatoes
• 1 medium onion
• 4 tbsp vegetable oil
• 3 cm (1-inch) piece ginger root
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1-2 mild green chillies
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• ¼ tsp ground turmeric
• Salt
• Freshly-ground black pepper
• 100 ml (3½ fl oz) water
• 1 free-range chicken, jointed into 8 pieces, or 8 thighs and/or drumsticks
• 2 tbsp yoghurt
• 1 lime (or lemon)
• 1 small bunch of coriander leaves
• Cooked rice, to serve

Instructions

1. To skin the tomatoes, nick the skin of each tomato with the point of a sharp knife, then put the tomatoes in a bowl next to the sink and pour over some very hot water from the kettle to cover. Count to 20, then carefully pour away the water. When the tomatoes are cool enough to handle, peel away the skin, halve the tomatoes, squeeze out most of the pips and juice into an empty bowl, and discard. Chop the flesh roughly and put it down on a plate to one side.
2. Peel and finely chop the onion. Fry the onion in the vegetable oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over low to medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring from time to time so that it turns an even golden brown. Watch carefully to make sure it doesn’t burn.
3. Meanwhile, peel and finely chop the ginger and the garlic.
4. Slit the chilli using a sharp knife. Slice the flesh away from the cluster of seeds in the middle. Avoid touching any part of the chilli with your fingers if you can, as it is very easy to get chilli in your eyes, and that will sting. You can use a fork to hold the chilli down or wear rubber gloves. Chop the chilli finely.
5. Measure the ground spices into a teacup. Add the ginger, garlic and chilli to the pan, stir them around and fry for another minute or so. If you want your curry to be hot as well as spicy, include some or all of the chilli seeds. Then add the spices in the cup into the onions. Fry the spices for a minute or two, stirring all the time so that they do not stick. Add some salt and freshly ground black pepper.
6. Pour in the water and the tomatoes, bring to the boil, turn down the heat a little and let the sauce simmer for 5-10 minutes.
7. Add the chicken pieces to the pan and stir them around so they are covered with the sauce. Put the lid on the pan, turn the heat down and let the chicken cook for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Chicken thighs will take longer to cook than breast pieces.
8. Now add the yoghurt to the chicken and stir it in. When the sauce is gently bubbling again, scoop up a little in a teaspoon, blow it cool and taste it. The sauce will probably taste quite sweet because of the tomatoes. Cut the lime in half and squeeze its juice into the sauce. Stir and taste again, and decide whether you want to add the second half.
9. Finally, chop the fresh coriander leaves and sprinkle them on to the curry just before you serve it with the rice.

Variations

• Drum thighs only: Use 8 thighs instead of a mix of pieces; they hold moisture better and need no adjustment to cooking time, though they may take the full 40 minutes.
• Spicier heat: Include all the chilli seeds when you add the chopped chilli to the pan, or increase the number of green chillies to 2-3 if you prefer significant heat alongside the spice.
• More sauce: Add an extra 50 ml of water at the tomato stage if you prefer a looser, brothier curry; reduce the simmering time slightly so the sauce doesn’t become thin.
• Ginger kick: Double the ginger to 6 cm for a sharper, more peppery warmth that rounds out the sweetness of the tomatoes.
• Finishing acid alternatives: Lemon juice works equally well as lime if you don’t have limes on hand; use the same quantity.

Tips for Success

• Watch the onion browning: Low to medium heat for a full 10 minutes is essential; rushing this step over high heat burns the onion and leaves a bitter taste that the curry cannot recover from.
• Toast the spices briefly: After adding the ground coriander, cumin, and turmeric to the onions, stir constantly for 1-2 minutes so the spices cook out and lose their raw flour taste—this is where the curry’s flavor depth develops.
• Taste before adding all the lime: The acidity and sweetness balance is personal; start with half the lime, taste, then decide whether the second half is needed rather than over-acidifying the dish.
• Stir chicken occasionally while cooking: This ensures the pieces cook evenly and stay in contact with the sauce; skipping this can leave some pieces underdone while others dry out.
• Use thighs or drumsticks for foolproof doneness: Breast pieces can dry out if cooked the full 40 minutes; if you use breast meat, start checking at 25 minutes and remove pieces as soon as they are cooked through.

Storage and Reheating

Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat, covered, until the sauce bubbles gently; this takes 8-10 minutes. Alternatively, reheat in the microwave in a covered bowl for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway. Add a small splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much during storage.

FAQ

Can I prep the ingredients the night before?

Yes. Peel, chop, and store the onion, ginger, garlic, and chillies in separate airtight containers in the fridge. Skin and chop the tomatoes and store in a covered bowl. The spices can be measured into a cup and left on the counter. This cuts active cooking time to about 50 minutes the next day.

What if my chicken pieces are very large?

Cut larger breast pieces in half so all pieces cook evenly within 30-40 minutes. Uniform size prevents some pieces from drying out while others remain undercooked.

Can I use canned tomatoes instead of fresh?

You can substitute one 400 g tin of crushed tomatoes for the fresh ones, which saves the blanching and peeling step. Omit the step of squeezing out pips and juice; add the tinned tomatoes directly to the sauce. The flavor will be slightly less fresh but still balanced and reliable.

Why do I need to peel the tomatoes?

The skin separates from the flesh during cooking and floats unpleasantly in the sauce; peeling before cooking gives you a smooth, unified sauce. If you are short on time, you can skip peeling, but the texture will be noticeably grittier.