Agri Chicken Curry
Using the spice mix explained in my earlier post, I cooked this Maharashtrian style chicken curry. Robust flavours from the toasted spices and nutty aroma from toasted coconut make this curry unique. Unlike North Indian curries where the emphasis is on the use of tomatoes and yogurt to form a base for the curry, in Maharashtra, fresh or dry coconut or coconut milk is used.
Ingredients:
2 chicken legs (or thighs- red meat gives a good flavour to curries, but you may use breasts as well)
1 onion, sliced
1/2 cup fresh or dry grated coconut
1 tbsp ginger- garlic puree (equal amounts of ginger and garlic pureed in a blender with a little water)
1 tbsp Kashmiri red chili powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
2+1 tbsp Agri Masala (click here for the recipe)
1'' cinnamon stick
Oil
Salt
Method:
1. Marinate chicken in ginger-garlic puree, turmeric powder, red chili powder, and 2 tbsp Agri masala. Cover and rest in the fridge for at least 4 hours. Overnight marination will give excellent flavour.
2. In a wok, heat some oil. Add sliced onion and caramelize them. When the onions are soft and brown, add grated coconut. Keep mixing using a wooden spoon to get an even brown colour to the coconut.
3. When the coconut is toasty, let the mixture cool down and blend into a puree in the blender. I prefer using a Vitamix or NutriBullet to give smooth purees.
4. In the same wok, add some more oil and fry a piece of cinnamon. Add 1 tbsp Agri masala and add marinated chicken right away. Cover with a lid and lower the flame. Cook for 15 minutes without stirring, on low heat.
5. When you open the lid, there will be some juices released by the chicken. Add pureed onions and coconut. Mix well and add 2 cups of water. Cover with a lid and cook again for 30 minutes on low heat.
6. Chicken breast may not give out as much liquid as dark meat. Using a mix of dark and white meat is also an option. Usually, using bones gives a better flavour. The juices released by the meat are from stewing bones and full of minerals and other nutrients.
7. After cooking for 30 minutes, add salt to adjust seasoning. Garnish with chopped cilantro leaves. Serve with steamed rice or freshly made chapati, bhakri or phulkas.
