← Nouns Cooking · Indian

Ingredients

• 1 kg bone-in chicken pieces (thighs and drumsticks), skinless
• 2 medium onions, cut into chunky petals
• 3 tbsp ghee (or oil)
• 1 tbsp Vegetable oil
• 1 Bay leaves
• 1 small cinnamon stick
• 4 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
• 4 Cloves
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds
• 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
• 3 cm piece Ginger, finely grated
• 4 cloves Garlic, finely grated
• 2 Green chilli, slit lengthways
• ½ tsp Ground turmeric
• 1½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
• 2 tsp Ground coriander
• 1 tsp salt, or to taste
• 2 Tomato, finely chopped
• 3 tbsp full-fat plain yogurt, whisked
• 150 ml hot water
• 1 tsp Garam masala
• 2 tbsp Coriander (cilantro), chopped
• ½ Lime, cut into wedges (optional)

Method

1. Heat 1 tbsp of the ghee in a large heavy pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion petals and fry for 3–4 min, until charred at the edges but still crunchy. Lift out and set aside.
2. Add the rest of the ghee and the oil, then the bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and cumin. When they crackle, after about 30 seconds, add the sliced onions and cook over medium heat for 12–15 min, stirring often, until deep golden.
3. Stir in the ginger, garlic and green chillies for 1 minute, then add the chicken. Fry for 5 min, turning, until the pieces lose their raw look.
4. Add the turmeric, chilli powder, ground coriander and salt, then the tomatoes. Cook for 6–8 min until the tomatoes collapse into a thick masala.
5. Take the pan off the heat for a moment and stir in the yogurt a spoonful at a time so it doesn’t split. Pour in the hot water, cover and simmer on low for 20 min, until the chicken is tender and reaches 75°C (165°F) at the bone.
6. Fold in the fried onion petals and garam masala and warm through for 2 min. Scatter with coriander and serve with naan or rice and a squeeze of lime.

Tips

• The name means “two onions”: one batch melts into the sauce, the other stays in bite-size petals for sweetness and crunch.

Sources

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

BBC Good Food Ranveer Brar