Description
This Pheasant Curry recipe features tender pheasant pieces cooked in a fragrant, spicy, sour, and creamy sauce made with tamarind, coconut milk, and a blend of aromatic spices. The curry is enhanced by fresh ingredients like ginger, garlic, shallots, and green beans, offering a delightful twist on traditional curry dishes with game meat.
Ingredients
Scale
Pheasant
- 1 Medium (750g) Pheasant
Spices and Seasonings
- ¼ teaspoon Cumin
- ¼ teaspoon Coriander
- ¼ teaspoon Kashmiri Chilli Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric
- ½ teaspoon Salt (plus extra to taste for the sauce)
- 6 cardamom pods
- ½ teaspoon Fennel Seeds
- 12 Curry Leaves
- 1 Blade Mace
- 1 Cinnamon Stick
- ½ teaspoon Amchoor
Fresh Produce
- 35g (1 medium) Shallot
- 2 Garlic Cloves
- 20g (Half Thumb Sized Piece) Ginger
- 1 Medium (100g) Tomato
- 1 Green Finger Chilli
- 75g (½ Cup) Green Beans
Other Ingredients
- 35g (40mm or 1.5″ Cube) Tamarind pulp
- 1 tablespoon Tomato Paste
- 200g (¾ Cup + 2 Tbps) Tin Coconut Milk
- 100ml (⅓ Cup + 1 Tbsp) Water
- 1 tablespoon Light Brown Sugar
- 2 tablespoon Ghee
- 2 tablespoon Cooking Oil
- Coriander to serve
Instructions
- Prepare the Pheasant: Remove the leg and breast from the pheasant carefully, setting aside the pieces separately.
- Season the Pheasant: In a bowl, mix together cumin, coriander, Kashmiri chilli powder, turmeric, and ½ teaspoon salt. Rub this spice blend evenly over the pheasant pieces to season them thoroughly.
- Prepare Tamarind: Pour 35ml (2 tablespoons) boiling water over the tamarind pulp. Mash with a fork to dissolve and let it sit for 5 minutes to soften and release flavor.
- Chop Aromatics: Cut the shallot in half lengthways, then finely dice it. Mash the garlic cloves into a paste and grate the ginger. Cut the green chilli in half lengthways. Dice the tomato into 5-7mm pieces.
- Cook Spices and Aromatics: Heat 2 tablespoons of ghee in a medium (24cm) saucepan over medium heat. Add curry leaves, green chilli halves, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, fennel seeds, and mace blade. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Sauté Shallots, Garlic, and Ginger: Add the diced shallot, mashed garlic, and grated ginger to the saucepan and cook for another minute, stirring frequently.
- Add Tomato and Tomato Paste: Stir in the diced tomato and 1 tablespoon tomato paste. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring regularly to meld flavors and soften the tomatoes.
- Add Liquids and Seasoning: Pour in the coconut milk and water. Stir in brown sugar and amchoor powder, combining all ingredients thoroughly.
- Strain Tamarind: Push the tamarind mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into the pan to remove solids and add the extracted liquid to the sauce. Stir well, taste, and adjust salt if needed.
- Sear Pheasant Legs: In a separate frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons cooking oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the pheasant legs and sear for 2 minutes on each side to develop color and flavor.
- Add Legs to Sauce and Simmer: Transfer the seared legs to the prepared sauce. Reduce heat to low, cover with a lid, and cook gently for 9-10 minutes to allow the pheasant to cook through and absorb flavors.
- Sear Pheasant Breast: Using the same pan, sear the pheasant breast pieces for 1-2 minutes on each side. Then transfer them to the sauce and cook for 5 minutes on low heat with the lid on.
- Add Green Beans: Cut green beans into 7.5cm lengths and add them to the curry. Cook for a final 2 minutes, allowing them to remain crisp-tender.
- Serve: Remove the mace, cardamom pods, and cinnamon stick from the curry before serving. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves. Serve hot as a flavorful main dish.
Notes
- Game meat like pheasant is not a conventional choice for curries but brings unique flavor and texture to the dish.
- The tamarind adds a distinct sour element that balances the richness of the coconut milk and spices.
- Remove whole spices like mace, cardamom, and cinnamon stick before serving to avoid overpowering bites.
- Adjust the level of heat by modifying the amount or type of chilli used according to taste.
- The dish pairs well with steamed basmati rice or flatbreads for a complete meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 872
- Sugar: 18 grams
- Sodium: 682 milligrams
- Fat: 65 grams
- Saturated Fat: 33 grams
- Unsaturated Fat: 27 grams
- Trans Fat: 0 grams
- Carbohydrates: 35 grams
- Fiber: 5 grams
- Protein: 47 grams
- Cholesterol: 146 milligrams
