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| Chicken masala, garlic roti and deep fried silken tofu ๐ |
Indian Chicken Masala
Serves 6
2 lbs. chicken thighs, boneless, cut into bite size pieces
Marinade:
1 tsp. red chili powder
(kashmiri or hot paprika)
1 ½ tsp. garam masala
(or chicken masala)
1 tsp. turmeric
1 ½ tsp ginger garlic paste
½ tsp. salt
or to taste
4 Tbsp. plain yogurt, optional
Gravy:
4 Tbsp. neutral cooking oil
2 small bay leaf
4 green cardamoms
(optional)
2 inch cinnamon piece or 1/4 tsp. ground
4 to 8 cloves
2 small onions, finely chopped
2 to 4 green chilies, to taste, finely chopped
1 ½ tsp. ginger garlic paste
1 cup tomato puree (or deseeded fresh tomatoes and finely chopped)
1 tsp. salt, to taste
1 tsp. garam masalam, to taste
lime wedges and chopped cilantro, to serve
Basmati rice (Recipetineats)
Roti, fresh or frozen, cooked according to package directions
Heat oil in a large pan or skillet. Carefully add the whole spices- cloves, cinnamon, cardamoms and bay leaf; cook for 30 seconds to release aroma. Add onions and green chilies. Saute them on a medium high heat for 5 mins. Then reduce the heat and saute for a few more mins. until the onions turn golden.
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| Make perfect basmati rice with Recipetineats |
Quick Raita: Strain 1 cup full fat 3% plain yogurt for 1 hour through a coffee filter in the fridge, add 1/4 tsp. salt, 1 mini cucumber, diced and a smidgen of ground cumin. Chill for 1 hour before serving.
Enjoy with lime wedges, cilantro, cucumber wedges and yogurt (such as raita) at the table.
What I love most about this dish is its generosity. It invites adaptation, encourages intuition, and rewards patience. It is equally at home in a restaurant dining room halfway across the world as it is in a busy family kitchen on a weeknight. And perhaps that’s the magic of it. A single dish, rooted in tradition, yet endlessly open to interpretation, capable of carrying a memory from one table to another, and turning it into something new.
Full Recipe:
Indian Chicken Masala
Serves 6
2 lbs. chicken thighs, boneless, cut into bite size pieces
Marinade:
1 tsp. red chili powder (kashmiri or hot paprika)
1 ½ tsp. garam masala (or chicken masala)
1 tsp. turmeric
1 ½ tsp ginger garlic paste
½ tsp. salt or to taste
4 Tbsp. plain yogurt, optional
Gravy:
4 Tbsp. neutral cooking oil
2 small bay leaf
4 green cardamoms (optional)
2 inch cinnamon piece or 1/4 tsp. ground
4 to 8 cloves
2 small onions, finely chopped
2 to 4 green chilies, to taste, finely chopped
1 ½ tsp. ginger garlic paste
1 cup tomato puree (or deseeded fresh tomatoes and finely chopped)
1 tsp. salt, to taste
1 tsp. garam masalam, to taste
lime wedges and chopped cilantro, to serve
Basmati rice (recipe follows)
Roti, fresh or frozen, cooked according to package directions
Heat oil in a large pan or skillet. Carefully add the whole spices- cloves, cinnamon, cardamoms and bay leaf; cook for 30 seconds to release aroma. Add onions and green chilies. Saute them on a medium high heat for 5 mins. Then reduce the heat and saute for a few more mins. until the onions turn golden. Add ginger garlic paste and saute for a minute, then pour the tomato puree. Add salt and garam masala; saute until the mixture begins to smell aromatic and release some oil, about 2 to 3 mins. Add marinated chicken and saute for 5 mins. Turn the flame to completely low and cook covered for 5 mins. You can add cilantro at this point, then cover the pan again and continue to cook on a low heat until chicken is completely cooked to soft and tender.
For a semi-dry chicken masala, you don't need to add water as the chicken gets cooked in its own moisture. To make it with gravy, add a little hot water or cream during the last few mins. Cook until the gravy turns thick and chicken is cooked through.
Serve hot with rice or roti with lime wedges, cilantro and yogurt (such as raita) at the table.
