Cheat's chicken bharta

Hiya, so I am back after a fun hiatus. Durga Pujas are over and like every Calcuttan worth their machher jhol aar bhaat, I am currently in a state of depression which shall linger for a few days at least (In my teens it lingered for weeks, months in fact). And like always food is my only respite right now.

I cooked a lot these four days.  In fact, I spent my Pujas in the kitchen mostly, cooking to the beats of the dhaak, while the rain lashed against the kitchen window.  And while everyone else whined and grumbled and cursed the weather gods, I was not bothered. I had fun alright.


We had a get together at a friend's place on Navami and I volunteered to cook. And while I slogged in the kitchen the whole day, I was pretty angry with myself for getting carried away, but the efforts paid off apparently. The dinner was a hit (unless these guys are Broadway actors) and the dish of the day was my Chicken Bharta. I call it the Cheat's Chicken Bharta because it is super simple and doesn't require too many ingredients unlike many other Bharta recipes I have come across.

Anyway, so the Bharta seemed like the evening's high point. I was a tad disappointed initially though. Why? Well, I am convinced of the success of a dish only when there is nothing left over (the quantity cooked notwithstanding). But that day a few spoons of the bharta still remained in the pan, even after everyone had finished eating. So, in my mind I was thinking that I had missed the mark. I finished my rum in three quick gulps to cheer up my dampened spirits. And just then one of the guys asked if there was any left and if he could take it home. Ah Anirban Basu, you made my evening!

However, this isn't exactly a healthy recipe (too much butter. uh is there anything like too much butter?) but who said this blog was about health food anyway.

Cheat's Chicken Bharta 

Ingredients 

Boneless chicken (cut into small pieces) - 1 kg
Curd - 250 gm
Onion Paste -11/2  cup
Garlic paste- 2 tbsp
Coriander powder - 2 tbsp
Kashmiri Chili powder - 1 tbsp
Fresh cream
Butter - 100 gm + 25 gm
Kasuri Methi (dried fenugreek leaves) - 2-3 tbsp
Salt to taste
Sugar - 3/4 tbsp

Method 

Marinate the chicken with curd and salt for 2 hours.
Add onion paste, garlic paste, sugar, coriander powder and chili powder to the chicken and marinate for another 45 minutes.
Heat 100 gm butter in a pan and Add the chicken along with the marinade.
Cook it on high heat for a couple of minutes turn down the heat, cover and let it simmer.
Once the chicken has released its juices and is three fourth done, remove the cover and let it cook until chicken is tender and the gravy has thickened. (Not too thick though, just a nice cream consistency.)
Add the fresh cream add this point and 25 gm of butter (it's a sin? who wants to die a saint?).
Finally, remove from heat, sprinkle kasuri methi cover and keep for a while. 

Garnish
Garnish with boiled eggs cut in wedges.

PS This one is finger-licking good. I like it best with Rumali Roti. A butter naan would go just as well.