Ingredients (Serves 6 – 8)
1. Chicken – 1.5 kg, cleaned and cut into medium pieces
2. Ginger – garlic paste – 1.5 tbsp
Yoghurt – 3 tbsp
Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
Chilly powder – 1/2 tsp
Salt – To taste
Marinate the chicken pieces with the remaining ingredients numbered 2 for at least 2 hrs or overnight in a refrigerator. Take it out of the refrigerator 30 mts before cooking.
Other ingredients
3. Oil – 2.5 - 3 tbsp (Coconut oil or vegetable oil)
4. Whole spices, slightly crushed in a mortar and pestle – Cardamom – 2, cloves – 4, bay leaf –1, star anise – 1, cinnamon stick – 1 inch stick
5. Onion – 2 medium-large, finely chopped
Green chilly – 1, slit
Curry leaves – 1 sprig
6. Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
7. Tomato – 1 small, chopped
8. Masala powder – About 2.5 tbsp (Recipe below)
9. Salt – To taste
10. Cilantro – 2 - 3 tbsp chopped, to garnish
To roast and grind – Masala Powder Recipe
10. Coriander seeds – 1.5 tbsp
Whole dried red chilies (vattal mulaku) – 6 - 7 (This is a spicy curry, add chilies according to your spice tolerance)
11. Poppy seeds (khus khus) – 2 tsp (I used black poppy seeds)
Fennel seeds – 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp
Cardamom – 4
Cloves – 10
Cinnamon stick – 1/2 inch stick
Whole pepper corns – 1/4 tsp
Dried coconut powder – 1 tbsp (optional, I didn’t use)
Heat a pan at medium-low or medium heat. Add coriander seeds and dried red chilies. Stir continuously for about 3 minutes until raw smell of coriander seeds are gone and dried red chilies turn crisp. Switch off. Now add all the remaining ingredients numbered 11. Stir for a minute. Set aside to cool. Grind to a fine powder.
Method
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a heavy-bottomed pan at medium heat. Add the slightly crushed whole garam masala numbered 4. Stir for a few seconds until fragrant. Next add finely chopped onion, slit green chilly, few curry leaves and little salt. Saute at medium-high heat until onion turns golden-brown. Bring down the heat to medium. Add turmeric powder and mix well. Next add the tomato pieces. Cook for 2 minutes and then add the marinated chicken pieces and the freshly ground masala powder. Mix everything well and cook for 5 - 7 minutes stirring in between. Then add 1 cup hot water. Cover and cook at medium heat for about 25 minutes or until chicken is done, gravy is thick and oil floats on top. (You can add 1/2 cup thick coconut milk for an extra taste). Switch off. Keep covered until ready to serve. Garnish with chopped cilantro. Serve with rice/ chapathis/ porotta etc. It tastes super-yummy
