Guyanese Chicken Curry

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion, chopped (Seasoning)
• 1 head garlic, peeled (Seasoning)
• Leaves of a few sprigs of fresh thyme (Seasoning)
• Desired amount of wiri wiri pepper or scotch bonnet pepper (Seasoning)
• 1/4 cup water (Seasoning)
• 4 lbs chicken, cut into 3 inch pieces (Curry)
• 2 tbsp seasoning + 1 tsp curry powder (for chicken) (Curry)
• 4 tbsp seasoning (for masala-curry powder mixture) (Curry)
• 4 tbsp garam masala (Curry)
• 3 tbsp curry powder (Curry)
• 1/2 tsp ground geera (cumin) (Curry)
• 1/3 cup boiling water (Curry)
• 6 tbsp cooking oil (Curry)
• 2 tsp salt (or salt to taste) (Curry)
• Boiling water, as needed (Curry)
• 1 tbsp tomato paste (Curry)
• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped (Curry)
• 4-6 cloves + 1 small cinnamon stick (Curry)
• Few pinches geera (Curry)
• 1 scallion, sliced (Curry)

Steps

1. In a blender, combine medium onion, head of garlic, thyme leaves, pepper, and 1/4 cup water. Blend until smooth and thick like a smoothie.
2. Wash and clean chicken. Remove fat, chop into 3-inch pieces. Pat dry with paper towel, set aside.
3. Add 2 tbsp of the seasoning to chicken plus 1 tsp curry powder. Massage into meat, let it rest for 1/2 hour minimum. Store remaining seasoning in a container in fridge for use in another recipe.
4. In a bowl, mix 4 heaping tbsp fresh seasoning, 4 tbsp masala, 3 tbsp curry powder, 1/2 tsp geera, and 1/3 cup water into a paste.
5. Heat an iron pot with 6 tbsp oil. Add masala-curry powder paste and fry for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly until mixture looks darker and not watery.
6. Add chicken to pot and stir to coat with masala-curry powder mixture.
7. Cover pot and let chicken cook for 15-20 minutes on medium heat stirring every once in a while. Remove lid and allow water from chicken to evaporate. Chicken will then start to look "dry." Add salt and turn chicken.
8. Add enough boiling water to cover chicken.
9. Add tomato paste, and chopped potatoes, cover with lid.
10. Let curry boil on medium-high heat until gravy has reduced by one-third and thickens to your desire.
11. When curry is done, sprinkle a little geera on top and garnish with fresh scallions.