Pressure Cooker Chicken Curry Stew

This quick and easy stew is a life saver on Sundays at my home, when work comes calling and disrupts our schedule. I could get the lunch going while wrapping up my work calls. Even though the title says "Pressure Cooker", this recipe is very slow-cooker-friendly. Using a pressure- or slow-cooker is key to this recipe as the onions, tomatoes and chicken bones get congealed well and this contributes to the thickening of the stew. Also, as the chicken cooks, it also makes chicken stock, so you do not have to add additional stock or broth to the stew.

Pressure Cooker Chicken Curry Stew

Ingredients:

• Chicken, thigh meat with bones - 1 1/2 lb
• green bell pepper - 1
• diced tomatoes - 2/3 of a 16 oz can or whole tomatoes - 3 big
• onion, chopped fine - 1 cup (1 big onion)
• ginger garlic paste - 2 tbsp
• cayenne pepper - 1 tsp
• black pepper - 1 1/2 tsp
• heavy cream or coconut milk- 1/2 cup
• flat leaf parsley - 1/4 cup
• bay leaf - 1
• cinnamon stick - 1 inch piece
• salt, to taste
• oil for sauteing
• turmeric powder - 1 tsp, optional

Method, using pressure cooker:

1. Clean and cut chicken into bite-sized pieces (About 1 to 1 1/2 inch). Leave the bone in as it helps in attaining a thick stew. If you do not care for bones in your stew, do yourself a favor and make chicken stock using it. But, whatever you do, please do not throw it away!
2. If using whole tomatoes, wash and chop these fine. 
3. Chop the bell pepper into 1 inch pieces, about the same size as the chicken.
4. Finely chop the parsley, to make 1/4 cup.
5. Fire up your pressure cooker and heat oil for sauteing. Add the bay leaf and cinnamon stick.
6. If using, add turmeric powder now. Turmeric powder is a natural disinfectant and I like to use it  in meat and seafood dishes to help avoid food poisoning and contamination.
7. When the spices have roasted well, add ginger garlic paste. You could use ginger paste and garlic paste separately also.
8. Allow the paste to cook well. When the raw smell has dissipated, add the chopped onions.
9. Wait for the onion to turn translucent. Now add the chopped green bell pepper.
10. Let the bell pepper to cook for about 5 minutes, before adding the diced tomatoes.
11. Add the cut chicken , both pepper powders and enough salt for the whole stew. 
12. Add 4 cups of fresh water and stir well to ensure everything is mixed well.
13. Cover and place the pressure regulator on the vent pipe. 
14. After pressure has built up, cook for 15 minutes before removing from fire. Let the pressure drop naturally.
15. Add the heavy cream or coconut milk and parsley. Return the pressure cooker to the stove and let it simmer on medium heat for 5 minutes. This helps cook the coconut milk/ heavy cream without curdling it.
16. Garnish with more parsley and serve with a rustic bread.

Pressure Cooker Chicken Curry Stew with Italian Bread

Method, using slow cooker:

1. Clean and cut chicken into bite-sized pieces (About 1 to 1 1/2 inch). Leave the bone in as it helps in attaining a thick stew. If you do not care for bones in your stew, do yourself a favor and make chicken stock using it. But, whatever you do, please do not throw it away!
2. If using whole tomatoes, wash and chop these fine. 
3. Chop the bell pepper into 1 inch pieces, about the same size as the chicken.
4. Finely chop the parsley, to make 1/4 cup.
5. In a heavy bottomed saute pan, heat oil for sauteing. Add the bay leaf and cinnamon stick.
6. If using, add turmeric powder now. Turmeric powder is a natural disinfectant and I like to use it  in meat and seafood dishes to help avoid food poisoning and contamination.
7. When the spices have roasted well, add ginger garlic paste. You could use ginger paste and garlic paste separately also.
8. Allow the paste to cook well. When the raw smell has dissipated, add the chopped onions.
9. Wait for the onion to turn translucent. Now add the chopped green bell pepper.
10. Let the bell pepper to cook for about 5 minutes, before adding the diced tomatoes.
11. Transfer this mixture to the slow cooker. Add the cut chicken , both pepper powders and enough salt for the whole stew. 
12. Add 4 cups of fresh water and stir well to ensure everything is mixed well.
13. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours.
14. 30 minutes before the 4 hour mark, add the heavy cream or coconut milk and parsley. Replace the cover and continue cooking.
15. Garnish with more parsley and serve with a rustic bread.