Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Chicken Diwani Handi

When was the last time I entered a chicken recipe? Let me check...two weeks ago!! It's very much unlike me that I have not prepared a wholesome chicken dish for a fortnight because I simply drool over chicken and ensure to have it at least twice a week.





My mother is a chicken expert. I have never eaten chicken curry anywhere as tasty as the one cooked by my mother. Perhaps it's true for all; we all find our mothers' cooking to be the best in the world. The curries that I concoct don't even come close to hers in taste. May be someday I will be able to achieve the expertise required to conjure up a fine chicken dish. Till then....I will keep trying and learning in the process.




In the original recipe of Chicken Diwani Handi, boneless chicken was used, but I personally prefer traditional Indian chicken preparation with bones in. So it's up to your discretion whether to use boneless or bones-in.




Chicken Diwani Handi not only looks delicious, each morsel of rice mixed with this gravy tastes heavenly and as you take a nibble at the soft juicy flesh of the chicken, it melts in your mouth.
(Note: if ever during the course of cooking chicken, the mixture turns dry and you need to add water, please use hot water.)



Ingredients:                                    Cooking time: 1 hour approx.


ü  1 kg chicken with bones

ü  1 cup tomato puree

ü  5-6 green chillies (made into paste)

ü  2 medium onions (ground into paste)

ü  1 green capsicum (cut into square pieces)

ü  1 tomato (cut into long slices)

ü  1 tsp ginger paste

ü  1 tsp garlic paste

ü  3 tbsp of cashew nuts paste

ü  1 tsp chilli powder

ü  1 tsp turmeric powder

ü  1 1/2 tsp cumin powder

ü  1 1/2 tsp coriander powder

ü  Salt to taste

ü  White oil for cooking

For sauté:


ü  5-6 cloves

ü  1 inch cinnamon stick

ü  2 cardamoms

ü  1 bay leaf


Method:


1) Marinate the chicken with a bit of turmeric powder and salt. Now heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the ingredients for sauté and wait for them to sputter.


2) When lovely crackling sound of sauté soothes your ears, sear the chicken pieces in smoking hot oil till they turn golden brown in color. 


3) Add ginger-garlic paste, onion paste and mix in. Cook on medium heat for 2 minutes. Stir occasionally.


4) Add the spices including turmeric powder, chilli powder, cumin powder & coriander powder and sauté. Cook covered on low flame till the spices blend well into the mixture. (Note: I always prefer cooking my chicken covered on low flame. My mother says the steam helps chicken and spices get well along with each other in happy harmony :D)


5) Now add tomato puree, cashew nuts paste, green chillies paste and salt. Cook covered again on low flame till a nice aroma conveys the hint of a lovely dish in the making.


6) Meanwhile, in another pan heat a bit of oil and sauté capsicum and tomato. Just fry them for 2 minutes, stirring continuously. Keep aside when done.


7) When chicken is cooked through and oil floats on the surface, add the capsicum and tomato into the chicken. Mix well. Simmer for 1 minute more. Turn off the heat.


8) Serve hot with rice, roti or paratha. It is scrumptious.

1 comment: