Ingredients

• Vegetable, canola, or peanut oil, for frying
• 1 (3 to 4 pound) whole chicken, cut up into 8 pieces
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon good quality curry powder
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Mango-Yogurt Sauce, recipe follows
• Asparagus with Red Chile Oil, recipe follows
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons good quality curry powder
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 cups plain yogurt
• 1 ripe mango, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 pound asparagus, trimmed
• 1/4 cup red chile oil, recipe follows
• Salt
• 1 cup pure olive oil
• 2 dried New Mexico chile peppers (available at specialty markets), stemmed and seeded
• 1/2 teaspoon dried chile de arbol (available at specialty markets)
• 1 teaspoon ancho chile powder (available at specialty markets)

Instructions

1. Heat 1 inch of oil in a large, deep cast iron skillet over high heat to 350 degrees F.
2. Season chicken well on both sides with salt and pepper. Place the flour in a brown paper bag, add 1 tablespoon of salt, 2 teaspoons black pepper, curry powder, and cayenne pepper, and shake to combine.
3. Add the chicken 3 pieces at a time to the bag, and shake well to coat each piece with the flour. Put them on a rack when you have finished.
4. Slowly add the chicken pieces to the hot pan skin-side down. Cover the skillet and reduce the heat to medium high and cook for 7 minutes, remove the cover, turn the chicken over and continue to cook for 6 to 7 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through. Drain on paper towels and transfer to a platter and drizzle with Mango-Yogurt sauce or serve alongside. Serve with Asparagus with Red Chile Oil.
5. Heat olive oil in a small saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until soft. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Add the curry powder and water and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.
6. Place the yogurt, mango, onion mixture and lime juice in a food processor and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Toss asparagus with oil and season with salt. Roast for 8 to 10 minutes or until just cooked through.
8. Place all ingredients in a blender and puree. Strain through a fine strainer. May be refrigerated up to 3 days. Serve at room temperature.