Vij Family's Chicken Curry

There is a restaurant in Vancouver, Canada called Vij's, which reportedly serves some of the best Indian food in the world. I have yet to eat there (or even travel to Canada), however, I heard so many great things about their food and restaurant that I bought a recipe book they wrote.

This is their family's chicken curry dish they made when they first opened the restaurant. It's a deliciously fragrant dish that is tastier than it might appear. I used less chicken to leave more curry sauce -- which is great for soaking up with naan. Serve over rice.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 2 large onions, finely chopped
• 3-inch stick of cinnamon
• 3 Tbsp finely chopped garlic
• 2 Tbsp chopped ginger
• 1 14-oz can diced tomatoes
• 1 Tbsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 Tbsp ground cumin
• 1 Tbsp ground coriander
• 1 Tbsp garam masala
• 1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper.
• 2-3 pounds chicken thighs, bone in
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro (including stems)

Instructions

1. In a large pot, heat oil on medium heat for 1 minute. Add onions and cinnamon, and sauté for 5 to 8 minutes, until onions are golden. Add garlic and sauté for another 4 minutes. Add ginger, tomatoes, salt, black pepper, turmeric, cumin, coriander, garam masala, and cayenne. Cook this masala for 5 minutes or until the oil separates from the masala.
2. Remove and discard skin from the chicken thighs. Wash thighs and add to the masala. Stir well. Cook chicken thighs for 10 minutes, until the chicken looks cooked on the outside. 
3. Add sour cream and water and stir well. Increase the heat to medium-high. When curry starts to boil, reduce the heat to medium, cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring 2 or 3 times, until chicken is completely cooked. 
4. Remove and discard the cinnamon stick. Cool curry for at least half an hour.
5. Transfer cooled chicken to a mixing bowl. Wearing latex gloves, peel chicken meat off the bones. Discard bones and stir chicken back into the curry. Just before serving, heat curry on medium heat until it starts to boil lightly. Stir in cilantro.

Serves 6.