Indian Non - Vegetarian Recipes : Chicken Masala

Change number of people to automatically recalculate ingredient amounts and cooking times.

Serves: 4
Cooking time (approx.): 30 minutes
Style: Indian Non-Vegetarian

2 tablespoon(s) each poppy seeds and cashewnuts
1 teaspoon(s) each of cumin ans fenugreek (methi) seeds
1 large onion(s)
4 flakes of garlic
1 tablespoon(s) chopped ginger
4 tablespoon(s) oil
1 cinnamon stick(s) of 1"(each)
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoon(s) red chilli powder
1 teaspoon(s) hot spice mix (garam masala) powder
3 large tomatoes pureed
salt to taste
12 medium pieces (about 800 grams) of chicken
6 tablespoon(s) thick yoghurt beaten till smooth
finely chopped fresh coriander to garnish

Roast the poppy seeds lightly and soak it along with cashewnuts in the warm water for about 1 hour. Grind to a fine paste with the water.
Roast the cumin and fenugreek seeds lightly. Dry grind to a fine powder.
Grind the onion, garlic and ginger to a fine paste.
Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Fry the cinnamon and bay leaves briefly till aromatic. Add the onion paste and fry for about 3 minutes or till rich golden brown.
Add the cumin-fenugreek powder, red chilli powder, hot spice mix (garam masala), pureed tomatoes and salt. Cover and cook on low heat for about 10 minutes.
Increase the heat and add the chicken pieces and fry well for about 10 minutes such that the spice flavors permeated through the chicken.
Reduce the heat and add the poppy seed-cashewnut paste stirring well. Fry for about 2 minute(s).
Reduce the heat and add the yoghurt stirring briskly to avoid curdling. Simmer for about 5 minutes (stir once mid-way) or till the chicken is tender, the gravy is thick and oil has separated.
Serve hot garnished with coriander leaves.

TIPS:
Using clarified butter (ghee) makes this dish more flavorful.
Boneless chicken can be also used for this recipe. Reduce or halve the weight of chicken if using boneless. Rest of the ingredients remain the same. Reduce the cooking time of chicken.
Keep some amount of hot water ready if more gravy is desired.

Serve hot with: Rice and Coconut Pancakes (Appam), steamed rice or Indian bread (Roti).

Indian Non - Vegetarian Recipes

Chicken Masala(Murg Masala)

Chicken Masala
(Murg Masala)