Growing up in Bangladesh we ate curries for most meals. Having been a chef for many years I learned how to make many other countries’ curries, like those from Thaliand, China, Japan, India, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia. Something I never tried — until now — is a curry from Nepal.

Nepal is very close in location to Bangladesh, but in studying Nepal’s recipes I quickly learned that their curries are quite different. Unlike chicken curry in Bangladesh, the Nepali version is less likely to use cream, coconut milk, or sugar and more likely to use fenugreek and tomatoes. Nepali curry might be a bit healthier for these reasons.

Below I make Nepali chicken curry with these differences and the result turned out very different in taste from the Bangladesh version. It is extremely delicious and I hope you try it!

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp oil
• 1 cup shallots, peeled and small diced
• 1 1/2 tbsp seeded jalapeno, small diced
• 1/2 tbsp each ginger and garlic, grated into paste
• 1 cup seeded tomato, medium diced
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1 1/2 lbs chicken drumsticks, skin removed, few shallow slits in each
• 2 cinnamon leaves
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp each ground mustard, turmeric, black pepper, and fenugreek
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

In a large bowl, mix chicken, 1 tbsp. oil, cumin, coriander, mustard, turmeric, black pepper, fenugreek, garam masala, and salt. Set aside for at least 30 minutes.

Heat the remaining oil in a large non-stick saucepan. When the oil is hot, add in the cinnamon leaves.

Add onions and jalapenos. Fry for a couple of minutes in medium heat.

Add ginger-garlic paste. Fry for another 2-3 minutes. Add the marinated chicken pieces. Stir well. Turn down the heat to medium-low. Fry chicken for 8-10 minutes. Gently stir often.

Add in tomatoes and 1 cup of water. Mix well. Cover and cook for another 20-25 minutes or until chicken cooked through.

Stir in the chopped cilantro.

Taste for seasoning. Serve with rice.

Serves 4

Did you make this dish? I’d love to know how it turns out! Feel free to like this post and comment or use the hashtag #globaldinein on Instagram. If you would to be notified of upcoming posts, please consider subscribing to my blog!