On matters cooking with yoghurt, first make sure you have with you plain yoghurt.Adding in strawberry or vanilla flavoured yoghurt in recipes calling for yoghurt as an ingredient is a disaster waiting to happen and your memory of the food once you have it in your mouth is one you would prefer to be forgetting sooner rather than later.

Yoghurt to me has always been that one ingredient I have been shying away from as it can be intimidating at times cooking with yoghurt.The benefits of cooking with yoghurt however outweigh the risks.Before substituting yoghurt for anything,for example cream in your recipes,you might want to familiarize with a few pointers when it comes to cooking with yoghurt.This important tips will help you get the most out of your cooking using this healthy, nutritious and versatile ingredient.

•  Heat yoghurt too quickly and risk it separating into curd and whey, you don’t want that,it has happened to me before and its not the prettiest of sights.Always make sure it is at room temperature before adding it to a hot dish.
• Do not vigorously stir or beat your yoghurt.This will cause it to break down and thin.Always remember to fold it into your recipes to maintain a rich and creamy consistency.

Once you master these basic pointers then you are ready to unlock the potential of yoghurt in your kitchen.Want tender, juicy,moist and flavourful chicken beef of lamb? yoghurt is the answer as I came to find out,thus my simple yoghurt chicken curry recipe.Curry to me can be a little overwhelming and and too rich for some.However my yoghurt chicken recipe is the prefect balance of rich and spicy blended together with simplicity.Curries are known for the array of spices in them and this my yoghurt chicken curry did not disappoint.All these warm aromatic flavours of the spices are brought together in a rich creamy sauce kissing the chicken with all the love out there,simply amazing is how I would describe this.Traditional curry is known with taking ages to prepare.Fear not as my my yoghurt chicken curry will be ready in no time without compromising on flavour or texture.I went with chicken thighs for use in this recipe,skinless chicken thighs to be precise.While I do love skin on my chicken,I do think they taste amazing and are full of flavour,but for this recipe and in most curries, skinless works best.Thighs are my favourite as they are moist, tender and full of flavour.They are also next to impossible when it comes to overcooking them.My yoghurt chicken curry is that ideal menu for parties or home dinners and do go well paired with rice, chapatti ,paratha or naan.

PREP TIME:5MIN

COOK TIME:20MIN

TOTAL TIME:25MIN

Ingredients

1. 1/2 kg skinned chicken thighs
2. 1/2 cup natural plain yoghurt
3. 1/4 cup coriander leaves
4. 1 large red onion
5. 3 ripe tomatoes
6. 4 garlic cloves
7. 1 teaspoon ginger
8. 1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
9. 1 teaspoon coriander
10. 1/4 teaspoon tumeric
11. 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
12. 1/2 teaspoon cumin
13. 1 teaspoon lemon juice
14. 1/2 teaspoon sugar

Directions

• Heat two tablespoons of oil in a pan and brown your onions adding in the sugar to help with the caramelisation.
• Add in the garlic and ginger,fry until fragrant.Add in the chopped tomatoes and saute well for 2 minutes on a high heat.
• Add in the chicken along with all the remaining spices saving the coriander and lemon juice for last.Stir and mix making sure every piece of chicken is coated with the spice mixture.
• Turn the heat low to a simmer and add in the yoghurt.You can add in warm water to thin the sauce to the consistency of your liking.Let this simmer for 8-10 minutes until the chicken is tender and fully cooked.
• mix in the fresh chopped coriander and the lemon juice.Take off the heat and serve with a side of choice.

Enjoy.