Punjabi Chicken Curry
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Ingredients (Serves 4 – 5)
1. Chicken, bone-in – Around 1 kg, cut into medium or medium-small pieces
Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
Pepper powder – 1/4 tsp
Salt – To taste
2. Oil –3 + 1 tbsp
3. Whole spices – Black pepper corns – 1/4 tsp, green cardamom – 3, cinnamon stick – 1/2 inch, cloves – 4, bay leaf – 1
4. Onion – 1.5 – 2 cups, thinly sliced
5. Ginger-garlic paste – 1 tbsp or 2 tsp each of chopped ginger and garlic
6. Tomato – 2 small, chopped or pureed
7. Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
Kashmiri chilly powder (good quality) or regular chilly powder – 1 – 1.5 tsp
Coriander powder – 1 tbsp
8. Garam masala powder – 1 – 1.5 tsp or to taste (Recipe below)
9. Kasoori methi – 1/4 tsp, crushed
10. Ghee – 1 tbsp
Ginger – 1/2 tsp, cut into thin slices
Green or red chilies – 2, slit
11. Cilantro – 2 – 3 tbsp, chopped
12. Salt – To taste
Garam masala powder recipe
Cumin seeds – 1 tbsp
Fennel seeds – 1.5 tsp
Black cardamom – 1
Green cardamom – 6
Cloves – 8
Cinnamon stick – 1/2 inch
Mace / javithri – A tiny piece
Grind all the above ingredients to a fine powder. Store in an airtight container.
Method
1. Marinate the chicken pieces with all the other ingredients numbered 1. Set aside for at least 30 minutes.
2. Heat oil in a large heavy-bottomed pan. Add the whole spices numbered 3 and cook over medium-low heat until they are fragrant. Add thinly sliced onion, little salt and cook until light golden in color over medium-high heat. Next add ginger-garlic paste and saute for a few minutes until onion turns golden brown in color.
3. Add spice powders numbered 7. Cook for a few minutes over low heat until their raw smell disappears. Add tomato and cook for 6 – 8 minutes until oil separates.
4. Add the chicken pieces, 3/4 tsp garam masala powder and mix well. Cook for 5 – 6 minutes, stirring occasionally until they are well-coated with the masala. Add around 1 cup hot water and bring to a boil. Cover and cook for 25 minutes over medium-low heat until oil separates and chicken pieces are done. Add crushed kasoori methi, a pinch of garam masala powder and mix well. Switch off.
5. Heat ghee in a small pan over high heat. Add ginger, slit green chilies and cook for a few seconds. Pour it over the prepared chicken curry. Sprinkle chopped cilantro. Cover and set aside for 15 minutes. Serve with pulao / naan / chapathi.
