When I think of chicken curry I think of elaborate procedures, spices and lots of cooking. And when I am crunched for time, I hardly go that way. But I know being a cook I should know quick and easy ways to prepare dishes. And I don’t use ready made chicken masala. Hence this is one of those chicken curries where the taste is not compromised but also gets prepared in considerably lesser time.
So this evening I was tired to prepare chicken curry. But I knew I cannot let it go. So I prepared this and it came out really well.
Here it goes,
INGREDIENTS
Chicken pieces curry cut – ½ kg
Onion – 1 medium
Tomato – 2 small
Red Chilly – 2
Cumin – ½ teaspoon
Fennel seeds – 2 teaspoons
Star anise – 1
Cloves – 4-5
Cinnamom – 2 pieces of 1 inch
Mace – 1
Peppercorns – 4-5
Curd – 4 tablespoon
Coriander powder – 2 tablespoon
Chilly Powder – 1 tablespoon
Turmeric Powder – 1 teaspoon
Curry Leaves – 1 -2 stem
Coriander Leaves – 2-4 stems
Mustard – 1 teaspoon
Shallots – 2
Asafoetida – ½ teaspoon
Ginger-garlic paste – 2 teaspoon
Oil
Salt – as per taste
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Take onions and tomatoes in a blender and puree it.
- In a kadai, add 2 teaspoon oil and add chillies, fennel, mace, peppercorn, cinnamon, cumin, cloves and star anise and saute them in oil till nice aroma comes.
- Remove from flame and grind it in blender. Add little water and make a smooth paste.
- In the same kadai, add the onion-tomato puree and saute them till it leaves the sides of the kadai (nicely roasted).
- Add the ginger- garlic paste and saute for a minute.
- Add chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and roast for a minute.
- Add the masala paste and the chicken pieces and salt.
- Add 2 cups of water and bring to a boil.
- Close the lid and reduce to flame to low and let the chicken cook.
- Once the chicken is cooked add whisked curd.
- Cook the chicken in curd again for 5 minutes.
- The texture will become creamy and thick.
- Remove from flame.
- Heat oil in tadka pan.
- Once hot splutter mustard seeds.
- Add finely chopped shallots and let it brown.
- Add curry leaves.
- Add asafoetida powder.
- Once onions are browned remove from flame and transfer the ingredients onto the chicken curry and give it a quick stir.
- Garnish the chicken curry with coriander leaves. Enjoy with hot phulka or rice.