This is an amazingly simple recipe that I have adapted from an original mutton recipe. It is easy to make and is truly delicious. It tickles the palate and gets the digestive system really stimulated (in a good way!)
Ingredients
1 kg Chicken
12-15 Green Cardamoms (Elaichi)
2 Bay Leaves
5 Medium Onions, chopped
5 tsp Ginger-Garlic paste
3 Large Tomatoes, chopped
300 gms Yoghurt (Dahi), beaten
1.5 tsp Coriander Powder (Dhania Powder)
1.5 tsp Red Chilly Powder
1 tsp Dried Mango Powder (Amchoor)
1.5 tsp Garam Masala Powder
Bunch of fresh coriander (Hara Dhania)
4 tbsp Oil
Salt, to taste
Procedure
- Boil the chicken in approximately 1 litre of water with the cardamom and bay leaves.
- After 20 minutes reserve the stock, discard the cardamom and bay leaves. Keep the chicken pieces aside.
- Heat oil and add onions to this. Saute until golden brown.
- Add ginger-garlic paste and bhunao for 2 minutes.
- Add tomatoes and bhunao for 7 minutes.
- Add coriander and red chilly powders. Bhunao for 2-3 minutes.
- Add yoghurt and bhunao for 7 minutes.
- Add dry mango powder (amchoor), garam masala powder, chicken pieces and reserved stock. Bring to a boil.
- Cover and simmer until gravy is fairly thick (approx 20-30 minutes).
- Sprinkle fresh coriander. Cover and let the curry rest for 10 minutes.
- Serve with jeera rice, plain steamed rice or hot parathas.
A word about ‘Bhunao’ : This method implies continuous stir frying of masalas on high heat, stirring briskly and without diverting your attention to other insignificant worldly matters! It is a vital part of most Indian recipes – a method that gives the spices a slight ‘toasted’ flavor. It is also very simple, needs only your undivided attention and a strong hand!
Given the price of onions I feel a sense of guilt suggesting this but fresh chunks of onion, whole green chillies sprinkled with generous amounts of chaat masala, kashmiri chilly powder, chopped mint and lemon juice are a brilliant side to this dish.
I would love to have this with a glass of good chardonnay. But the doctor has asked me to stay off wine for a while as he suspects a wine allergy. So it’s just buttermilk for now!