Dhaba Style Chicken Curry

Serves: 4

Total Cooking Time: 1 hour + 30 minutes

Ingredients

For Marinade:

• 1 kilogram Chicken (cut into medium pieces)
• 2 tbsp. ginger & garlic paste
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• Salt

For Gravy:

• 4 medium size onion chopped
• 1 tbsp. chopped garlic
• 1 tbsp. chopped ginger
• 4 green chilies chopped
• 2 tsp whole cumin
• Whole Spices: 2 bay leaves, small piece cinnamon stick, 4 cardamom, 1 tsp peppercorns, 4 cloves
• 4 medium size tomato chopped
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 2 tbsp. coriander powder
• 1 tsp garam masala powder
• Salt to taste
• 5 tbsp. cooking oil

For tempering:

1 tbsp. ghee

2 green chilies cut lengthwise

1 inch piece ginger julienned

Chopped coriander leaves 

Method:

1. Marinate the chicken with 2 tbsp. lemon juice, 2 tbsp. ginger & garlic paste and salt for 1 hour.
2. For Gravy: Make a fine paste by grinding together chopped onion, chopped ginger, chopped garlic and green chilies.
3. Heat oil in a saucepan and add cumin seeds and all the whole spices. Once they start to splutter, add the ground onion paste. Cook till the paste turns light brown and starts to separate from the oil.
4. Now add chopped tomatoes, turmeric powder, red chili powder and coriander powder. Cook till the tomatoes are soft and everything looks well combined.
5. Add marinated chicken pieces, garam masala powder, salt and 1 cup water. Stir well and add salt if needed. Cook on medium to low heat for 20 minutes or till the chicken is fully cooked. Remove from heat.
6. For tempering: Heat another small pan with ghee. Add green chilies and ginger piece and cook for few seconds till they turn crispy.
7. Pour this tempering over the gravy and quickly cover it. Let the curry be covered for 15 minutes before serving.
8. Serve hot rice or roti.