← Nouns Cooking · Indian

Ingredients

• 750 g chicken on the bone (curry cut)
• 3 tbsp Vegetable oil
• 1 tsp Fennel seeds
• 1 4 cm cinnamon stick
• 3 green cardamom pods
• 4 Cloves
• 1 Bay leaves
• 2 Onion, finely chopped
• 2 sprigs Curry leaves
• 3 Green chilli, slit
• 1½ tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 Tomato, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp hot red chilli powder (Guntur if you can find it)
• 1½ tbsp Ground coriander
• ½ tsp Ground turmeric
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp white poppy seeds
• 2 tbsp desiccated or grated coconut
• 1 tsp Garam masala
• 1¼ tsp Salt
• 300 ml hot water
• 3 tbsp Coriander (cilantro), chopped

Method

1. Soak the poppy seeds and coconut in 4 tbsp hot water for 10 min, then grind to a smooth paste.
2. Heat the oil in a heavy pan over medium heat. Add the fennel, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and bay leaf and fry for 30 seconds until they sizzle and smell sweet.
3. Add the onions, curry leaves and green chillies and fry for 8–10 min until the onions are deep golden.
4. Stir in the ginger-garlic paste for 1 minute, then the tomato, and cook for 3–4 min until it collapses.
5. Lower the heat and add the chilli powder, ground coriander, turmeric and cumin with a splash of water. Stir for 1 minute so the spices cook without burning.
6. Add the chicken and salt and stir over high heat for 5 min to coat and seal. Pour in the hot water, cover and simmer on low for 20 min.
7. Stir in the poppy-coconut paste and garam masala and simmer uncovered for 5 min, until the gravy thickens, oil rises to the top and the chicken reaches 75°C (165°F). Finish with coriander.

Tips

• Andhra food is properly hot; use half the chilli powder plus 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli for colour if you prefer it milder.
• Poppy seeds are sold in Indian shops; ground cashews work instead (then it contains nuts).

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Archana's Kitchen Yummy Tummy Aarthi