Simple Home Cooked Chicken

Not for the west where there is fear of the bird flu.
And not for my Vegetarian friends.
If you are either of the above two, scroll down much further for Vegetarian dish.


Try out this age old dish of Chicken Curry.
Surprise your roommate.
Chicken is the easiest dish to cook and its so tasty, if cooked the right way.
I even cook it without oil and still taste good.
I will write that some other day.

Simple Chicken Curry (gravy) on the lines of Chicken Butter Masala/Chicken Kadhai ..



Utensil: One thick bottomed Aluminium Kadhai (or the Iron Kadhai like in the Picture if available) is preferable. Otherwise a Non-Stick will do.

Ingredients:
1) kilo Dressed Chicken
2) Large Onions ( too much onions will make the dish sweet) finely Chopped. Chop first vertically and then Horizontally.
3) Equal amounts of very finely chopped Ginger and Garlic or crushed not so finely . No paste, please. Each after getting chopped should be about a tablespoon each.
4) Mix 1 teaspoon of Turmeric with one teaspoon of Chilli Powder and one teaspoon of methi. Add water and make a thin paste.
5) Two leaves of bayleaf
6) Dhania and Jeera Powder one teaspoon each. Also some Jeera gota(unpowdered whole)
7) One Tea spoon of MDH Chicken masala
8) Coriander
9) Salt and Pepper to taste
10) Mustard Oil. Any edible oil will do but mustard oil makes good chicken.
11) 2 tomatoes finely chopped and 2 medium potatoes cut into large cubes( believe me potato taste good)

Steps:

Heat Oil in the Kadhai. Oil should be just enough to fry all the onions. I suggest three table spoons though i never measure and use my judgement. The oil should cover the onions.
If the Oil is mustard, small bubbles will form. Heat till most of the bubbles diappear and some smoke start to appear.
Vegetable oil need not be heated as long.
Put the Bay leaves and a teaspoon of Whole Jeera.
Add Onions right-after and fry till onions change colour to slight brown.
Put the Chopped Ginger Garlic and fry for some more till onions are golden brown. (Its should not be so brown that it looks burnt)
Now pour in the chilli-turmeric-meethi mix into it.
If you don't have meethi, its fine. Do without it.
Fry for 2 to 3 minutes and add the chicken.
Start frying the chicken and using a large spoon Mix well.
Keep mixing till the whole mixture is homogenious.
Fry for 10 minutes and add the Potatoes.
Add salt to taste, Lower the flame and cover the Kadhai.
Cook in low flame that way for 15-20 minutes, but don't forget to turn or mix using the same spoon every 4-5 minutes.
After 20 minutes, open and add jeera-dhania powder .
Now increase the heat and cook till most of the liquid (coming out from the meat) in the kadhai is evaporated.
When most of the water had evaporated( will take about 4-5 minute) add two cups of water and when it start boiling add the chicken masala and tomatoes.
Cook for 10 minutes and Its done.
Add some pepper and garnish with the coriander leaves.
Eat with Rice or whatever. Yummy