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Maria Rundell's Chicken Curry

Maria Rundell's Chicken Curry is a traditional British recipe, based on Maria Rundell's recipe of 1806 for a classic curry of fried chicken and onions in a veal or mutton gravy base flavoured with curry powder, thickened with roux and spiced with cayenne. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Maria Rundell's Chicken Curry.

prep time

20 minutes

cook time

50 minutes

Total Time:

70 minutes

Serves:

6

Rating:

Tags : CurrySpice RecipesChicken RecipesBritish Recipes

This is a curry from Maria Rundell's Domestic Cookery of 1806. It uses the by the typical English method of frying the meat and onions, then adding a gravy before flavouring with curry powder. However, it should be noted that the curry powders would have been more complex than those of the earlier curries of the 18th Century, more like the Madras powders we know today. Cayenne pepper was liberally added, too, making these curries spicier than their antecedents. Here, lemon juice is used for acidification, which is a novel addition.

One of the interesting things comes in the substitutions, with rare veal, rabbit or cooked turkey suggested. This is one of the first recipes, then for currying leftover turkey.

Original Recipe

Chicken Curry.
Cut up the chickens before they are dressed, and fry them in butter, with sliced onions, till of a fine colour: or if you use those that have been dressed, do not fry them: lay the joints, cut in two or three pieces each, into a stewpan, wit hveal or mutton gravy, a clove or two or garlick, four large spoonfuls of cream, and some Cayenne : rub smooth one or two spoonfuls of curry powder, with a little flour, and a bit of butter, and add twenty minutes before you serve ; stewing it on till ready. A little juice of lemon should be squeezed in when serving.

Slices of rare done veal, rabbit, or turkey, make a good curry.

A dish of rice boiled plain, as hereafter directed, must always be served to eat with curry.

Modern Redaction

Ingredients:

1 chicken, jointed
2 onions, sliced into thin slivers
6 tbsp butter
500ml veal or mutton gravy
2 garlic cloves
5 tbsp double cream
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp curry powder (mild Madras would be appropriate)
2 tbsp flour
salt, to taste
2 tsp lemon juice

Method:

Place the butter in a pan over medium heat. When foaming add the chicken pieces and the onions. Fry, stirring frequently, for about 12 minutes until the chicken is golden brouwn and the onions are coloured.

Pour in the stock then add the garlic, cayenne pepper and cream. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Cover and cook gently for about 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and tender.

In the meantime, mix together the butter, flour and curry powder to a smooth paste. When the curry has been simmering for 10 minutes stir in this roux mixture until melted and well distributed.

Continue cooking for a further 20 minutes. Just before serving stir in the lemon juice.

Serve accompanied by plain boiled rice.