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.