Serve this seriously tasty dish with hot Chapatis or Parathas and a green salad.
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 kg chicken pieces of your choice (with or without bones and skin)
- 4 tbsps fresh yogurt
- 2 tbsps coriander powder
- 2 tbsps cumin powder
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- 1"stick of cinnamon
- 5 cloves
- 4 pods green cardamom seeds removed
- 8 black peppercorns
- 1 large bay leaf
- 1 star anise
- 1 tsp mace powder
- 1 large onion chopped very fine
- 2 medium tomatoes chopped fine
- 1/2 cup water
- Salt to taste
- 4"piece of ginger cut into julliennes
- 3-4 tbsps vegetable/ canola/ sunflower cooking oil
- Chopped fresh coriander to garnish
Preparation:
- Heat a flat pan on a medium flame and gently roast the whole spices till aromatic. Stir often to prevent scorching. When done, remove from fire and allow to cool.
- Grind the spices to a fine powder and mix with the other powdered spices. Keep aside.
- Put the yogurt in a large mixing bowl and add the powdered spice mix. Blend all ingredients to a smooth paste with a whisk. Add the chicken to this marinade and mix to coat on all sides. Cover and keep aside for 30 minutes.
- About 10 minutes before the marinating time is up, heat the oil in a deep pan on a medium flame. Add the onions and fry till they are pale golden in color. Now add the tomatoes and fry till they are pulpy.
- Add the chicken and marinade and stir fry for 10 minutes till the chicken is sealed and browned on all sides.
- Add the water (1/2 cup), stir and cover the pan. Reduce the flame to simmer and cook till the chicken is almost done.
- Remove the cover now, add the ginger (keep a little aside for garnishing), stir and increase the flame to medium. Cook like this (checking and stirring every 2-3 minutes) till most of the gravy has dried up.
- Turn off fire, garnish with remaining ginger and chopped coriander and serve with hot Chapatis or Parathas and a green salad.
