This recipe of Turkey Kadhai or Karahi, which is a somewhat dry turkey curry, is also a perfect candidate for a quick weeknight meal served with some plain rice and sliced fresh cucumbers on the side.
This post was sponsored by Canadian Turkey but all opinions are my own. I only write about and recommend products I use and love myself.
When it comes to feeding my family, I like to go easy on myself. It’s not that I don’t enjoy feeding loved ones with rich palate-pleasing favourites, but I’d rather spend my time with them enjoying simple, yet equally delicious food made in minutes. Often, in times like these, my keyword, or should I say keywords, are QUICK and SIMPLE – and this dry turkey curry absolutely fits the bill! I have often blogged on how much I love easy Indian recipes that hardly take much time and effort and yet seem to please our over-demanding taste buds. Truly, coming home at five in the evening after a long and tiring day doesn’t leave me even in the slightest mood to cook anything. But eat we must and that’s where I make use of my instincts. A little bit of this, a splash of that, and before you know it, dinner for the family is on the table!
This past weekend, we hosted some of our closest friends and family for a quiet, cosy dinner. I knew when I sent out the invitations, that I wanted to serve food family-style and something that would be easy enough to cook for a crowd. We Indians are known for our need to treat our guests with the utmost care and generosity, and one common way we all seem to achieve in doing so is through our food.
I wanted to introduce my guests to the idea that turkey is as delicious and versatile as any protein in Indian cooking, and that is where my local grocery store came to my rescue. I was pleasantly surprised by the variety of choices you get of turkey cuts these days. Excitedly looking through my options, I found just what I was looking for – boneless turkey fillets. These would be perfect to create a lip-smacking, and simple recipe of a dry turkey curry. This is what I love best about cooking – pick a recipe and replicate it with any kind of ingredient you have on hand. And turkey, for one, is perfect to use as a protein choice in almost any recipe.
Canadian turkey is tasty, healthy, easy to prepare, and perfect for batch-style family cooking (which I know many of my desi friends do on the regular!). Along with being a flavourful choice, turkey is packed with protein. It helps you feel energized and satisfied, and helps keep your muscles healthy and happy. Turkey is considered a quality protein with about 30 grams of protein in every 100-gram serving. It’s lean and nutrient-rich, too. This means that it has a lot of nutrients per calorie. Another bonus – both white and dark meat are considered lower in fat. If you’re looking for a heart-healthy, low-fat choice – turkey breast is it!
Fresh cuts of turkey are naturally low in sodium, and most cuts of turkey are either lean or extra lean. Every bite is filled with health-boosting nutrients including iron (to deliver oxygen through your body), zinc (for a healthy immune system), and selenium (an antioxidant mineral). There are so many great reasons to eat this powerful protein that you can feel good every time you put a tasty and nutritious turkey on your family’s table.
TURKEY KADHAI (DRY TURKEY CURRY)
Ingredients
- 4 boneless turkey fillets cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/4 tsp red chilli powder
- 2 tbsp light cooking oil
- 1 tsp whole cumin seeds
- 1 tbsp finely chopped garlic
- 1 tbsp finely chopped ginger
- 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tbsp coriander powder
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 large onion sliced
- 1 medium green pepper sliced
- 2 medium tomatoes cut into wedges
- salt to taste
- a handful of fresh cilantro leaves roughly chopped
- squeeze of lemon
Instructions
- Mix the turkey pieces with turmeric and 1/4 tsp of red chilli powder, and set it aside to marinate for 10-15 minutes.
- Heat oil in a large non-stick wok on high heat and stir-fry the turkey for 2-3 minutes till lightly browned. Do not crowd the pan and fry them in batches if necessary. Remove from wok and set aside.
- Add in the cumin seeds to the remaining oil in the pan and let it start to sizzle. Now add in the garlic and ginger, and fry for a few seconds till fragrant. Stir in the remaining spices for a few seconds, before adding in the tomato paste.
- Mix well to blend in the spices before adding in the onions and the fried turkey pieces. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes till the onions start to soften. Now add in the peppers and tomatoes, season with salt, and mix well. Let it cook covered for 5-6 minutes till the meat is completely cooked through.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and serve warm.
Notes
This post was originally published in October 2017 and has been recently updated.
If you like this recipe, you will surely like my Homestyle Chicken Curry and Dahiwali Chicken Curry as well.
You can find the web story to this Turkey Kadhai (Turkey Curry) recipe here. To watch more of my other recipe web stories, click here.
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Thank you so much for making my day more easier…
Just what my husband always loves! Tastes very authentic tho I didnt put the lemon. I put a touch of vinegar instead as i didnt have tamarind. As its quite easy if u have all the ingredients together, i suggest making another batch without meat, veg, just for gravy!! Believe me, your family or guests will want more!