Simple Chicken Curry

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:

1. Take onions and tomatoes in a blender and puree it.
2. 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.
3. Remove from flame and grind it in blender. Add little water and make a smooth paste.
4. In the same kadai, add the onion-tomato puree and saute them till it leaves the sides of the kadai (nicely roasted).
5. Add the ginger- garlic paste and saute for a minute.
6. Add chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and roast for a minute.
7. Add the masala paste and the chicken pieces and salt.
8. Add 2 cups of water and bring to a boil.
9. Close the lid and reduce to flame to low and let the chicken cook.
10. Once the chicken is cooked add whisked curd.
11. Cook the chicken in curd again for 5 minutes.
12. The texture will become creamy and thick.
13. Remove from flame.
14. Heat oil in tadka pan.
15. Once hot splutter mustard seeds.
16. Add finely chopped shallots and let it brown.
17. Add curry leaves.
18. Add asafoetida powder.
19. Once onions are browned remove from flame and transfer the ingredients onto the chicken curry and give it a quick stir.
20. Garnish the chicken curry with coriander leaves. Enjoy with hot phulka or rice.