Like your curries sweet, sour and mildly spiced? Try this chicken pathia!
Many people love a good pathia and the great news is, they are easy to prepare at home. No need to go out for an expensive takeaway! Give this recipe from my cookbook 'The Curry Guy Bible' a try. The recipe in my cookbook serves 4 but I have scaled this one down to a curry house portion to serve one to two. You can easily upscale the recipe if you like.
About this recipe
Chicken pathia is a UK original! It was developed first by Bangladeshi chefs at British curry houses in an attempt to compete with the hugely popular sweet and sour chicken that was becoming popular at Chinese takeaways.
Chicken pathia is so good with plain Basmati rice or flavoured Basmati rice. You might also like to try it with naans or chapatis. Don't forget the homemade dal and samosas! You might also like to serve this with homemade poppadoms and a selection of chutneys and raitas.
Jump to:
- Like your curries sweet, sour and mildly spiced? Try this chicken pathia!
- About this recipe
- How To Make Base Sauce and Chicken Tikka
- Ingredients
- Step by Step Photographs
- Tips & Tricks
- Substitutions
- Variations
- Equipment
- Storage
- Top Tip
- FAQ
- Related
- Pairing
- How to Make Chicken Patia Curry - A Sweet And Sour Curry House Favourite
How To Make Base Sauce and Chicken Tikka
The Base Sauce
In order to get this chicken pathia to taste just like it does when you go out, you will need to do some forward planning. First, you will need to cook a base sauce and have it hot and ready to add to the curry. Following are a few methods you can try with the first and second options being the closest to how. base sauce is cooked at restaurants.
You can also freeze the base sauce for that last minute chicken pathia craving. Just be sure to label and date it and freeze it in convenient sized containers. It will freeze for up to 6 months.
The Pre-Cooked Chicken
Although you could add raw chicken and let it cook through in the sauce, that isn't what curry house cooking is all about! By pre-cooking the chicken you will add another delicious layer of flavour. I have many chicken tikka recipes on this site but the following will all be delicious stirred into the pathia sauce:
Ingredients
Get your ingredients prepared and ready before you start cooking. With the prep done, this recipe should only take about 10 minutes to cook!
- rapeseed (canola) oil
- onion, finely chopped
- garlic and ginger paste
- mixed powder
- Kashmiri chilli powder
- sugar (more or less to taste)
- tomato puree or passata
- base curry sauce
- pre-cooked chicken
- smooth mango chutney
- tamarind concentrate
- dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi)
- Juice of one lemon
- red food colouring (optional)
- chopped coriander (cilantro)
- Salt to taste
See recipe card for quantities.
Step by Step Photographs
When you look at these step by step photos, you see just how quickly and easily your chicken pathia will come together. For more detailed instruction, please read the method in the recipe card below.
- Step 1: Heat the oil over a medium-high heat and stir in the chopped onions. Fry for about 5 minutes to soften.
- Step 2: Stir in the garlic and ginger paste and fry for another 30 seconds.
- Step 3: Now add the ground spices and stir well to combine.
- Step 4: Add the passata or tomato puree and bring to a simmer.
- Step 5: Add about a ladle of the base sauce and bring to a simmer.
- Step 6: Stir in the pre-cooked chicken.
- Step 7: Add more base sauce as needed. If the curry is looking dry, add more. If it is too liquidy, cook it down to your preferred thickness. Stir in the dried fenugreek leaves, tamarind and chuntney.
- Step 8: Add the coriander (cilantro) and season with salt to taste.
- Step 9: Give it all another good stir. This is a good time to adjust the sweet and sour flavours to taste too.
- Step 10: Serve hot with rice or naans.
Tips & Tricks
Get that pan smoking hot. In the recipe I suggest cooking over a medium-high heat but as you get better at cooking curry house style curries, feel free to turn up the heat for more caramelisation and flavour.
Substitutions
Chicken pathia is hugely popular at restaurant but so are other proteins.
You might like to add tandoori prawns to the sauce instead of chicken to make a prawn patia. Lamb tikka, vegetable kofta, tandoori paneer, beef... All of these will work.
Variations
Variation is what curry house style cooking is all about. This recipe is for a pathia like you might have tried many times at Indian restaurants and takeaways. You can, however vary the flavour to taste. It may not still be a traditional chicken pathia but it could be just the flavour you are going for. Try some of the following and see how you like it:
- Spicy - Stir in chopped green chillies to taste or and more chilli powder
- Deluxe - This recipe doesn't call for cream but you could add some for a creamier texture at the end of cooking, just before serving.
- Kid friendly - Leave out the chilli powder or use sweet paprika.
Equipment
At curry houses, the chefs most often use inexpensive aluminium pans because they heat up fast. Personally I have cooked curries like this chicken pathia in many different pans such as stainless steel and cast iron. It works so use what you have.
That said, I don't recommend using pans with a non-stick surface. You want the base sauce to caramelise to the pan for additional flavour which is not possible
Storage
If you would like to work ahead or have leftovers, you can store your curry in an air-tight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. It will actually improve as the flavours develop.
You can also freeze this curry for up to 6 months. Just let it defrost completely and then reheat in a pan or in your microwave.
Top Tip
Cooking curry house style was developed over time for ease, speed and economy at restaurants. Get you base sauce heated up and your ingredients at the ready before you start cooking. You'll be able to whip this popular curry up in minutes!
FAQ
That amazing flavour comes from several things including a base sauce and pre-cooked meats and vegetables. Using these will get you what you're looking for. Yes, there is some preparation to do but once that's done, you will be cooking curry house style curries like a professional.
Over the years I have added a few different base sauce recipes to this blog. The one I use most is the curry house version which is slowly cooked for about an hour or longer. You will also find my 20 minute base sauce and slow cooker base sauce are excellent substitutes.
It is usually sunflower or rapeseed oil because both of these oils have a high smoking point, perfect for this style of cooking. For a richer flavour, you could also use ghee. Any oil with a high smoking point will do. Just don't ever use olive oil. It tastes great on a salad but it will burn and taste terrible in a curry like this.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these mild curries:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with [this recipe]:
- Basmati Rice Recipe - Perfect White Rice
- Pilau Rice
- Lemon Fried Rice
- Mushroom Fried Rice - Indian Restaurant Style
How to Make Chicken Patia Curry - A Sweet And Sour Curry House Favourite
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp rapeseed (canola) oil
- 1/2 onion, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
- 1 tbsp mixed powder
- 1 tsp red chilli powder (more or less to taste)
- 1 tbsp sugar (more or less to taste)
- 70ml (1/4 cup) tomato puree
- 300ml (1 1/4 cup) approx. base curry sauce
- 350g ( 12oz) pre-cooked chicken
- 1/2 tbsp smooth mango chutney
- 1/2 tsp tamarind concentrate
- 1/2 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi)
- Juice of one lemon
- red food colouring (optional)
- 2 tbsp chopped coriander (cilantro)
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. When hot, stir in the chopped onion and fry for about 3 to 5 minutes or until soft.
- Add the garlic and ginger paste and stir, allowing to sizzle for about 45 seconds.
- Now add the mixed powder, chilli powder, and sugar and fry for a further 30 seconds.
- Add the tomato puree followed by a ladle of base sauce. Continue adding a little base as required. If the curry is looking too dry, add more base sauce. If too saucy, just cook it down.
- Stir in the pre-cooked chicken or what ever pre-cooked main ingredient you like.
- Now add the tamarind concentrate and mango chutney and stir it into the sauce.
- Allow to cook down to your preferred sauce texture or add more base sauce if necessary.
- Add the dried methi and lemon juice. The stir in the food colouring if using.
- Garnish with the chopped coriander (cilantro) and season with salt to taste.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
2Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 257Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 471mgCarbohydrates: 23gFiber: 4gSugar: 12gProtein: 13g
The above nutritional info is done with a program and is just an estimate.
Jennifer Griffiths says
Fantastic curry recipes the whole family and friends really enjoy them, how do I make the madras hotter as for Vindaloo or Phall. Keep up the good work and thank you. Jenny
Kevin says
Thanks, this is my favorite. I have looked for this recipe for years. Thanks for sharing it.
Dan Toombs says
Thank you Kevin.
Hope you like the recipe. It is a real hit at my house. Thanks!
Dan
Kavey says
From what I understand, patia is an authentic Parsee dish, but uses seafood not chicken. So it could be made with prawns, or fish.
I think it's just the idea to use same kind of sauce for chicken and other meats that is a BIR thing.
Though I'd imagine the base recipe has changed somewhat too.
But patia per se is not completely a BIR thing.
(PS Came here via a link on pinterest)
Dan Toombs says
Hi Kavey
Thanks for stopping by and that's news to me. Thanks for letting me know. Do you have a link I can go to so that I can read about fish patia being authentic Indian? 🙂
Steve Bunney says
Having moved to Australia 6 years ago, we have tried everywhere here to find a decent tasting curry but to no avail, until i came across your website, i was blown away at how tasty this dish is, just like the curries we have back in the UK.Thank you so much for your recipes.Easy to follow and very very tasty...
Dan Toombs says
Hi Steve
Really glad you liked my recipe! Thank you very much for giving it a try. I've got loads more recipes on the way so please don't be a stranger. 🙂
Emma says
Sounds delicious! Do you think this would work with paneer or quorn pieces to make it veggie?
Dan Toombs says
It is nice. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. I think potatoes, quorn and/or paneer would work very well with this recipe.
Yvonne says
Not sure what I did wrong but looked too dark and thick and tasted much too "rich". Wondered if I'd added too much cumin or was it the wrong curry powder (medium)? It's my favourite take-away curry so hope you can help. Thanks
Dan Toombs says
Hi Yvonee
If you use a store bought curry powder, you won't get great results. Try using my homemade version in the larder cupboard section of my site.
jon baylis says
ok so iv never cooked indian before and i love chicken pathia , iv gone out and got all the ingredients as above , will let ya know how it goes
Dan Toombs says
Great Jon. Good luck to you. Be sure to ask if you have any questions.
Dan
Dave says
Hi Dan, just did your garlic chilli chicken and it was spot on. Looking to do a patia next. Just for clarification is the mint sauce you refer to the same mint sauce that you would traditionaly use with roast lamb ? Regards Dave
Dan Toombs says
That's the one Dave. I use Colemans but any good brand will do. Sometimes in Summer I make my own.
Good luck with the recipe.
Dan
Roy McFarlane says
Dan, this is by far the best patia recipe i've come across so far. Easy to make and very tasty, the missus preferred it to our local curry house and theirs is very good. well done mate, looking forward to trying a few more of your recipes.
Roy
Dan Toombs says
Thank you very much Roy. Really glad you liked the recipe.
Jodie Simpson says
I have been looking for this receipe for ages, will give it a go this weekend.
Thanks for sharing, pathia is my FAV!
Mike M says
Hi Dan,
Before diving in with both feet first to make what looks to be a superb dish, a quick question on the Mint Sauce used.
Do you mean Mint Concentrate (e.g. Colemans), Mint Sauce (e.g. Colemans that you have with your lamb roast) or the Mint Sauce put out with the pickles and poppadums?
Already made your curry base and it works a treat.
Many thanks,
Mike
Dan Toombs says
Hi Mike. Gosh - I didn't know there are so many. LOL. I just use Colemans mint sauce - the same you use for lamb roast. That's what most Indian restaurant chefs use too. 🙂
Thanks.
Dan
Daniel says
Dan and Mike
I used the Colmans mint concentrate. I was very unsure about putting mint sauce in the curry at all so I only used one tablespoon. Even that quantity was quite over powering so I added two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar instead of any more mint sauce. After that the curry did turn out excellent. The next time I am going to start with apple cider vinegar and maybe add the mint concentrate. I have had lots of BIR Pathias and none of them have the unusual taste the mint gives it.
Thank you for the recipe Dan it is very good overall. I am now living in Phoenix, Arizona and it is nice to know I have a good source of reipces. Our local Indian restruarants are beyond cr*p and could learn a thing or two from your website.
Susan says
Hi Dan,
I have been trying to perfect the wonderful patia for quite some time now. I have experimented with tamarind as I thought it was a compulsory ingredient for the patia recipe. I have also tried the lemon and vinegar alternatives too to try and capture the sweet and sour element. However, I am so so so excited about the recipe you have shared as patia is my all time favourite Indian curry and cooking Indian style curries is my all time favourite hobby.Can't wait to give it a go.
Thanks again x
Dan Toombs says
Hi Susan
Thanks for taking the time to comment. Hope you like the recipe. It's a bit hit at my house.
Dan
Becky says
Hi dan I am in the middle of making the pathia and have doubled the ingredients as I am cooking for 9 tonight. As I have doubled the ingredients I only added 4 tbsp of mint sauce and I have tried it and that is all I can taste when I taste thr sauce. Do you have any suggestions to fix this or is it supposed to taste really minty ?? Thanks
Dan Toombs says
Hi Becky
I think I'm a bit late answering but you could just add a little more of the other sauce ingredients. Mint sauce is quite strong when you add it because of the vinegar. If you cooked it a few minutes, the strong flavour may go away on its own.
Thanks
Dan
Kim says
Hi dan. Just asking about the curry gravy. Is it the one from local supermarkets like the chip shop curry sauce or is it something that you get from a special shop.
Dan Toombs says
Hi Kim
It's a recipe used in a lot of curry houses to make curries faster and better. It really isn't for sale though I do have a couple of recipes on my site.
Thanks
Dan
Dan says
Awesome will be trying this as soon as I'm back from my visit to the usa, I always order lamb pathia, tried getting one here in the states but no one has heard of it 🙁
Dan Toombs says
Hi Dan
Pathia is a British invention so you won't find it many places in the states. Hope you do get a chance to try the recipe.
Dan
Darren says
Hi Dan,
Any reason why the tablespoon of tomato paste is not included in the patia sauce here but in the ebook version it is? I love this sauce by the way!
Darren
Mark says
Wonderful. I haven't had one of these for almost 20 years, since I moved away from the UK. It turned out beautifully. Thanks Dan.
Dan Toombs says
Thank you Mark. Really glad you liked the recipe. 🙂
Dan
Kev says
Hi Dan,
Just wonder when you say this:
5.Add the garlic and ginger paste and stir, allowing to sizzle for about 45 seconds.
6.Now add the chilli powder, cumin and coriander and fry for a further 30 seconds.:
Is this inclusive of having a curry base on hand?
Dan Toombs says
Hi Kev
You need to have the curry sauce ready to go and heated. The recipe is on my site. Happy cooking and good luck.
Dan
Garry says
This has been my favourite curry for years, after trying it at the Curry Garden in Ringwood. It's always been hard to find it quite the same at other restaurants 🙁 Then I found this recipe and started tweaking - fresh (or frozen) mango instead of the mango chutney; tomato puree instead of the ketchup, and apple cider vinegar and some dried mint instead of the mint sauce. I also threw in some fresh tomatoes near the end. It was very close to how I remembered but not sweet enough so I used some (quite a lot of!) erithrytol and that was it - just as I remembered it 🙂 Stevia would work too, as does jaggery or maple syrup, depending on just how healthy you want it to be 🙂
Dan Toombs says
Hi Garry
Nice to see you can adjust it all to your own tastes. Sounds like you did a great job of it.
Dan
Neil W says
Hi Dan. Loving your recipes ,made 3 in a week!
Was just wondering, I made patia and jalfrezi, and as much as I liked them my wife found them a little too sweet for her liking, is there any of the ingredients that I should reduce to take the sweetness away a bit? I'm guessing the mango chutney, but your feedback would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks Neil
Dave says
Hi Dan
Just curious before I try this. The recipe seems like it makes a lot of sauce. For example, there is approx 500 ml in the patia sauce plus a further 500 ml of base gravy. Seems like a lot of liquid over 1 litre, assume this is correct?
Thanks
Dave
David McMeakin says
I love this recipe. I found you site whist searching for a Pathia recipe. I have since bought your app for the iPad, but is it possible to add this recipe to the app. Cheers
David
Dan Toombs says
Hi David
Thank you. Yes, I am planning on doing that. The thing is, I need to remake it and take new step by step photographs for the app. I am hoping to do so soon.
Thanks
Dan
Ross says
Can you use tandoori style chicken instead of pre-cooked chicken for this recipe?
thanks
Dan Toombs says
Hi Ross
You sure can. It would be really good.
Thanks,
Dan
Ross says
I just cooked it, and it was amazing. 5 stars
Dan Toombs says
Great to hear Ross.
Thank you.
Dan
Neil says
Dan thank you My wife and I tried your recipe for the pathia and it was bang on could not believe it superb...chicken tikka is
The next one on the list we bought one of your books thanks again Dan
Dan Toombs says
Hi Neil
That's great to hear! Thank you very much.
Dan
Luke says
Hi Dan what is the mixed spices mate ?
Dan Toombs says
You can buy mixed powder in all Asian food stores and here is my recipe if you want to make it
https://greatcurryrecipes.net/2020/04/26/mixed-powder/
Thanks
Dan
Rob says
Is the mint sauce TABLESPOONS? Put 3 in an was still quite strong. Had to put a bit of sugar in to balance it a bit
Dan Toombs says
Hi Rob
Please use my recipes as guides as we all have different tastes. Sounds like you did in this case which is great!
Thanks,
Dan
Robbie says
Is there a huge difference between pathia and chasni? Could I add mint sauce to the pathia or would you avoid that ?
Dan Toombs says
There are just some subtle differences if you look at the recipes but yes you could definitely add mint sauce to pathia if you like the sound of that. I usually say if it sounds good it probably tastes good!
Thanks
Dan
Deborah curtisc says
Hi there, I’ve bought a tamarind block is this the same as concentrate ? Or do I have to add water to piece of the block ?
Kind regards
Deborah
Dan Toombs says
Add some boiling water to the block and put it through a sieve.
Thanks
Dan
Shaun says
Sorry but what is the mixed powder?
Dan Toombs says
Here is my recipe for mixed powder.
Thanks
Dan
https://greatcurryrecipes.net/2020/04/26/mixed-powder/
Theresa Smith says
Hi Dan. I stumbled across you sight looking for a good curry recipe and by gosh I found one. Your base sauce has transformed the texture of my curry making. I have since tried many of your curries and haven't been disappointed with any so far. For the first time ever I changed how we do Boxing Day by doing an Indian meal starting with pompadom and dips, starters and mains all from your menus. The family raved about the food. I've since share your recipes with family and friends and they too are extremely pleased with the results. I've invested in buying all three of your books recently and am looking forward to trying out more of your recipes.
Dan Toombs says
Hi Theresa
Thank you so much for buying my books and sharing my recipes. Your Boxing Day dinner sounds perfect, certainly beats left over turkey!
Dan
Deke says
I'm confused how many people this feeds,
States YIELD: 4 at the beginning then yield 2 at the end then servings 1
Dan Toombs says
Sorry for the confusion, this should serve 2 as a main meal.
Dan
Scotch Tam says
Hi, I've made this recipe a few times now and it only gets better and better, the use of a curry base sauce is a game changer. As a lover of Pathia, can honestly say that this recipe is far better than any restaurant curry. It also helps when friends compliment on this dish.
Dan Toombs says
Thank you, I’m really pleased you enjoy the recipe.
Dan