Grandma's Aromatic Chicken Curry
Grandma's Aromatic Chicken Curry
Ingredients
For the Marination
- 1 kg chicken, cut into pieces
- 3 bay leaves
- 3 tablespoons mustard oil
- 50 g Sunrise Pure Meat Masala, 1 packet
- 2 tablespoons red chilli powder
- 1/2 cup dahi, yogurt
- 2 tablespoons cumin powder
- 2 tablespoons coriander powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon turmeric powder
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Kasturi Methi, dried fenugreek leaves
- 6 garlic cloves, whole, peeled
For the Aromatic Paste
- 10 garlic cloves, peeled
- 50 g ginger, peeled and chopped
- 8 cloves
- 2 cm cinnamon stick, small piece
For the Curry Base
- 3 onions, large, thinly sliced
- 4 tablespoons mustard oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, for onions
- 1/4 cup water, as needed for cooking onions
For Serving
- as needed white rice, cooked
- 1/4 red onion, sliced, for garnish
- 2 lime wedges, for garnish
Instructions
- 1
Place the cut chicken pieces in a large metal bowl. Add bay leaves, mustard oil, the entire 50g packet of Sunrise Pure Meat Masala, red chilli powder, dahi (yogurt), cumin powder, coriander powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, and turmeric powder.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Mix all the ingredients thoroughly with your hands, ensuring the chicken pieces are well coated with the marinade.
⏱️ 3 min
- 3
In a small separate pan, dry roast the Kasturi Methi (dried fenugreek leaves) over low heat until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
⏱️ 2 min
- 4
Once roasted, crush the Kasturi Methi between your hands and add it to the marinated chicken. Mix well. Add the 6 whole peeled garlic cloves to the marinated chicken and mix them in. Set aside to marinate for at least 1 hour, or preferably longer in the refrigerator.
⏱️ 5 min
- 5
While the chicken marinates, prepare the aromatics. Peel and thinly slice the 3 large onions. Peel the remaining 10 garlic cloves and chop the 50g ginger.
⏱️ 10 min
- 6
In a mixer grinder jar, add the peeled garlic cloves, chopped ginger, 8 cloves, and the 2 cm cinnamon piece. Grind these ingredients into a smooth paste. Add a tiny splash of water if needed to help with grinding, but aim for a thick paste.
⏱️ 5 min
- 7
Heat 4 tablespoons of mustard oil in a large kadai (wok) over medium heat.
⏱️ 2 min
- 8
Add the sliced onions to the hot oil. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the onions while they are frying. Continue to fry the onions, stirring occasionally, until they start to soften and turn translucent.
⏱️ 10 min
- 9
Pour about 1/4 cup of water into the kadai with the onions. Continue to fry the onions, stirring frequently, until they are deeply caramelized, very soft, and form a thick, reddish-brown base. This process can take 20-30 minutes and is crucial for the curry's flavor and texture. The onions should almost melt into a gravy.
⏱️ 25 min
- 10
Add the ground ginger-garlic-clove-cinnamon paste to the caramelized onions in the kadai. Sauté the paste with the onions for 5-7 minutes until the raw smell of the garlic and ginger disappears and the mixture is well combined.
⏱️ 7 min
- 11
Carefully transfer the marinated chicken (including the whole garlic cloves from the marination) into the kadai with the onion and spice mixture. Mix everything thoroughly, ensuring the chicken is coated with the aromatic base.
⏱️ 5 min
- 12
Cover the kadai with a lid and cook over medium-low heat. Allow the chicken to cook in its own juices and the spices. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking and ensure even cooking. The chicken will release liquid and the curry will thicken.
⏱️ 30 min
- 13
Continue cooking, covered, until the chicken is tender, fully cooked, and the curry reaches the desired rich, thick consistency with oil separating on top. This may take another 15-20 minutes. Adjust seasoning if necessary.
⏱️ 20 min
- 14
Serve the hot Chicken Curry with plain white rice, garnished with sliced red onions and lime wedges.
⏱️ 5 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Grandma's Aromatic Chicken Curry
For the Marination
- 1 kg chicken, cut into pieces
- 3 bay leaves
- 3 tablespoons mustard oil
- 50 g Sunrise Pure Meat Masala, 1 packet
- 2 tablespoons red chilli powder
- 1/2 cup dahi, yogurt
- 2 tablespoons cumin powder
- 2 tablespoons coriander powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon turmeric powder
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Kasturi Methi, dried fenugreek leaves
- 6 garlic cloves, whole, peeled
For the Aromatic Paste
- 10 garlic cloves, peeled
- 50 g ginger, peeled and chopped
- 8 cloves
- 2 cm cinnamon stick, small piece
For the Curry Base
- 3 onions, large, thinly sliced
- 4 tablespoons mustard oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, for onions
- 1/4 cup water, as needed for cooking onions
For Serving
- as needed white rice, cooked
- 1/4 red onion, sliced, for garnish
- 2 lime wedges, for garnish
Instructions
- 1
Place the cut chicken pieces in a large metal bowl. Add bay leaves, mustard oil, the entire 50g packet of Sunrise Pure Meat Masala, red chilli powder, dahi (yogurt), cumin powder, coriander powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, and turmeric powder.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Mix all the ingredients thoroughly with your hands, ensuring the chicken pieces are well coated with the marinade.
⏱️ 3 min - 3
In a small separate pan, dry roast the Kasturi Methi (dried fenugreek leaves) over low heat until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
⏱️ 2 min - 4
Once roasted, crush the Kasturi Methi between your hands and add it to the marinated chicken. Mix well. Add the 6 whole peeled garlic cloves to the marinated chicken and mix them in. Set aside to marinate for at least 1 hour, or preferably longer in the refrigerator.
⏱️ 5 min - 5
While the chicken marinates, prepare the aromatics. Peel and thinly slice the 3 large onions. Peel the remaining 10 garlic cloves and chop the 50g ginger.
⏱️ 10 min - 6
In a mixer grinder jar, add the peeled garlic cloves, chopped ginger, 8 cloves, and the 2 cm cinnamon piece. Grind these ingredients into a smooth paste. Add a tiny splash of water if needed to help with grinding, but aim for a thick paste.
⏱️ 5 min - 7
Heat 4 tablespoons of mustard oil in a large kadai (wok) over medium heat.
⏱️ 2 min - 8
Add the sliced onions to the hot oil. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the onions while they are frying. Continue to fry the onions, stirring occasionally, until they start to soften and turn translucent.
⏱️ 10 min - 9
Pour about 1/4 cup of water into the kadai with the onions. Continue to fry the onions, stirring frequently, until they are deeply caramelized, very soft, and form a thick, reddish-brown base. This process can take 20-30 minutes and is crucial for the curry's flavor and texture. The onions should almost melt into a gravy.
⏱️ 25 min - 10
Add the ground ginger-garlic-clove-cinnamon paste to the caramelized onions in the kadai. Sauté the paste with the onions for 5-7 minutes until the raw smell of the garlic and ginger disappears and the mixture is well combined.
⏱️ 7 min - 11
Carefully transfer the marinated chicken (including the whole garlic cloves from the marination) into the kadai with the onion and spice mixture. Mix everything thoroughly, ensuring the chicken is coated with the aromatic base.
⏱️ 5 min - 12
Cover the kadai with a lid and cook over medium-low heat. Allow the chicken to cook in its own juices and the spices. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking and ensure even cooking. The chicken will release liquid and the curry will thicken.
⏱️ 30 min - 13
Continue cooking, covered, until the chicken is tender, fully cooked, and the curry reaches the desired rich, thick consistency with oil separating on top. This may take another 15-20 minutes. Adjust seasoning if necessary.
⏱️ 20 min - 14
Serve the hot Chicken Curry with plain white rice, garnished with sliced red onions and lime wedges.
⏱️ 5 min