Pathia – Sweet, Hot & Sour Curry
Pathia is a wonderful Indian dish that has it’s roots in Persia. Sweet, hot and sour it hits all the right notes in out household.
Obviously you can alter the level of heat to suit your taste by using more or less Chilli powder and fresh chillies.
Chicken & Paneer Pathia Made With ‘Ome Made B.I.R Curry Masala
For this recipe I used chicken thigh as the main ingredient with a little added paneer. If you are using chicken breast it may take a little less cooking.
You can use whatever main ingredient you like though. Prawns work really well. If you are using lamb or beef remember they will need longer cooking or try par-cooking first. If you want a vegetarian version You can use whatever you like. If using root vegetables such as potatoes and carrots try par-boiling before adding to the sauce. They will then cook quicker and take on more flavour from the sauce.
Obviously I used my own ‘Ome Made B.I.R Curry Masala for this dish. You can however use any branded curry masala or your own version.
Base Sauce
I’ve used a base sauce for this recipe but I’ve made one especially for this curry. It’s a bit heavier on the tomatoes than most base sauces.
If you want to use your own base sauce go ahead. Just add the tomato ingredients to the fried spices before adding your own base.
For more on base sauce and British Indian Restaurant style cooking follow this link.
Spicing Essence
This is what makes my version this curry a little bit different. You’re basicly making an aromatic, sweet and sour syrup,
Added towards the end of the cooking it adds a lovely sweet layer of flavour, with some subtle tones from the spices.
You can of course adapt this syrup to your own liking, using extra spices or less, depending on your taste.
By the way, try this syrup drizzled over onion bhajis for a treat, it tastes amazing!
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Chicken & Paneer Pathia
Ingredients
Base Sauce
- 2 tablespoon oil or ghee
- 3 medium Onions sliced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 clove garlic chopped
- 1 thumb sized piece fresh ginger chopped
- 1 small carrot diced
- 1 small red pepper diced
- 1 teaspoon 'Ome Made B.I.R Curry Masala or any other brand of masala
- 3 tablespoon tomato puree
- 400 gram chopped tinned tomato
- 1 tablespoon Coriander stalks chopped
Spicing Essence
- 3 pods cardamom split
- 3 whole cloves
- 1 stick cinnamon
- 3 whole Indian bay leaves
- 3 whole All spice
- 3 Tablespoon Sugar
- 3 tablespoon Vinegar
- 500 millilitres water
Curry
- 4 tablespoon oil or ghee
- 6 cloves garlic finely chopped or grated
- 1 thumb sized piece ginger finely chopped or grated
- 3 teaspoon kashmiri chilli
- 1 - 3 teaspoon chilli powder to taste
- 1 tablespoon 'Ome Made B.I.R Curry Masala Or any other brand of your choice
- 1 kilogram chicken thigh diced
- 300 gram Paneer cubed
- 1 tablespoon Kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaf)
- 3 teaspoon Tamarind paste
- 1 lime juice of
- 2 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 3 - 6 small chilles split in half
- 3 tablespoon fresh coriander chopped
Instructions
Base Curry Sauce
- Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pan. Add the sliced onion and salt. Cook on a low heat for 20 minutes or so stirring occasionally.
- Add the garlic and ginger and continue to fry for a couple of minutes.
- Add the diced carrot and pepper and again fry for a minute or so before adding the curry masala. Cook gently for a minute, stirring so it doesn't catch.
- Stir in the tomato puree followed by the chopped tomatoes.
- Add around 4 litres of water and give a good stir. Bring the sauce to a simmer, throw in the coriander stalks and continue to cook for 45 minutes or until the carrot is soft.
- While waiting prepare the Spicing Essence.
- Blitz the sauce with a hand blender until smooth. The sauce wants to be the consistency of (full fat) milk. If it's too thick add a little water. leave on a low heat while you prepare the curry.
Spicing Essence
- Add all the ingredients to a pan. Put on the heat and bring to a simmer. cook gently for around 40 minutes. After this time the water will have reduced and you should be left with a thinnish syrup.
- Drain the syrup in to a bowl until needed
Curry
- Heat the oil in a pan or karahi and add the garlic and ginger, gently fry for 20 seconds.
- Add the Kashmiri chilli, stir in and add the curry masala followed by the chilli powder. Cook the spices for a couple of minutes. If it looks like its going to catch, add a little of the base sauce.
- Once the spices are cooked out add around 1/3 of the base sauce to the garlic, ginger and spices, using a ladle. Careful as it will probably spit and splatter.
- Cook on high until the sauce has reduced to a thick paste. If you are worried about the mess, partly cover the pan with a lid. You only need to stir very occasionally as you want the sauce to caramelise. Make sure you scrape the caramelised bits round the edge back in to the sauce!
- Once the first lot of sauce has thickened, add the rest of the base sauce to the pan. Continue to cook until this has reduced to a thickness that you are happy with. You can now add the chicken. Cook gently, for chicken thigh around 40 minutes, chicken breast around 20 minutes.
- Once your main ingredient is nearly cooked, add the rest of the ingredients and spicing essence. Continue to cook for 15 - 20 minutes more.
- Serve with rice of your choice and some naan bread or chapatti.