Kadai Murgh with a rustic touch!

Whenever I think of Kadai Chicken, I think of dinner at a wayside dhaba on a wintry night, sitting on a charpoy, wrapped in the comfort of a warm shawl. Strangely, I have never savoured Kadai Chicken at a dhaba on a wintry night. I must soon. But I love Kadai Murgh! I have had quite a few versions of the classic and I have over the years tried out different recipes  Finally I conjured my own version of the Kadai Murgh. It is high on taste and done in a jiffy on a high flame mostly. The meat ends up a tad seared in the process and that simply adds to the flavours.  I also add some whole coriander seeds are a tempering, my special touch other than the addition of a tangy note with some tamarind paste. In another version of the dish, I also add diced capsicum, but I left that out this time. Anyway I top the spicy curried chicken off with some roughly chopped coriander leaves, some green chilies and julienned ginger.

You know  I was thinking, the name of this dish itself leaves a huge scope for experiment As long as you cook the dish in a kadai, you could absolutely toss up your own version of the classic.

Ingredients 

Chicken - 1.5 kg (cut in large pieces)
Chopped onions - 1.5 cups (packed)
Chopped tomatoes - 4 (large)
Garlic paste- 1 tsp
Ginger paste - 1tbsp
Ginger julienne - 2 tbsp + ore for garnishing
Chopped coriander leaves - 1/4 cup (packed)
Whole red chilies - 2-3
Whole coriander seeds - 1 tsp + 4 tbsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tbsp
Peppercorns - 1 tsp
Fennel seeds - 3/4 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1tsp
Red chili powder - 1 tsp
Orange food colour - a pinch (optonal)
Green chilies (halved vertically) - 10-12
Salt to taste
Sugar - 1tsp
Tamarind paste - 2 tbsp

Method

Lightly roast the peppercorns, coriander seeds (4 tbsp) and cumin seeds together and grind them to a coarse powder.

Lightly roast the fennel seeds and grind to a powder.

Heat mustard oil in a kadhai (deep-bottomed pan), add the whole red chilies and whole coriander seeds! And once they splutter and exude aroma, toss in the onion.

Fry the onion until brown. Add the ginger ad garlic paste and fry until oil separatraes. Add the chicken, turmeric-chili powder paste, pinch of orange colour, salt and sugar and fry for a few minutes, n high heat. Now add the fennel powder and the coriander-cumin-peppercorn spice-mix and continue frying the chicken until oil separates.

Toss in the chopped tomatoes and halved green chilies. Reduce heat, cover and cook until chicken is almost done.

Remove cover, adjust seasoning, toss in the chopped coriander leaves and the tamarind paste. Stir through and cook on low heat until chicken is tender and oil separates.

Serve hot garnished with roughly chopped coriander, chilies and ginger for a rustic touch!