This recipe was given to me by my friend Angda. The result is so good it provoked her husband to officially declare, after six years of marriage, “NOW you know how to make Indian chicken.” I’ve always loved the spices and scents of Indian food, but felt it may be too complicated to prepare well in my own kitchen. But I’ve been proven wrong. This recipe was quite simple, requiring only a quick stop at a local Indian market, and is truly amazing. Between mouthwatering bites, Jason just could not stop gushing about how delicious it was. I recommend you try it for yourself.
Methi Chicken
Prep time and cooking time combined, 1 hour
Ingredients:
1 lb boneless chicken, cut in large pieces
1 cup plain yogurt, whisked in bowl
0.5 tsp cardamom seeds
3-4 cloves
1/2 cinnamon stick, broken into smaller pieces
2 tbsp olive oil
1.5 cups chopped red onion
1-2 hot chili peppers, chopped finely
1 inch ginger, chopped finely
1 inch ginger, julienned
1 tsp garlic, chopped
1 cup chopped tomatoes
3 tbsp Kasthoori Methi [dried fenugreek leaves available in Indian grocery stores]
salt and chili powder to taste
1 cup water
To Prepare:
Marinate chicken pieces in yogurt and set aside while you prepare gravy. In a large saucepan, heat oil and add cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon. Heat until roasted, but do not burn. Add chopped ginger, chili peppers, garlic and onion. Saute on medium heat until onions are clear and browned. Add add tomatoes and 2 tbsp methi leaves. Add 0.5 tsp salt and sprinkle some chili powder in, adding more later as needed. Cook mixture until tomatoes are roasted through and mixture begins to separate from oil. Add chicken and yogurt to mixture and cook for a few minutes. Add 1 cup water to pan, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally. When chicken is properly cooked through, transfer contents of pan to an oven-safe baking pan or pyrex dish. Sprinkle julienned ginger, remaining tbsp methi, and cilantro on top of pan, cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees F.
Enjoy with naan, roti, or rice. Serve plain yogurt on the side to off-set heat if dish is too spicy.
Alison Parker, of Radical Root Farm, wrote this resonating essay, A Radical Change of Heart (click on Contents, then “Life, Etc”), for the current issue of Mindful Metropolis. Have you ever felt that life-sucking feeling of dread before heading off to work Monday morning? If so (I know I certainly have), I think you’ll appreciate what Alison has to say. Rather than accept the “daily grind” as a fact of life, Alison reminds us it is possible to love what you do and do what you love.