COUNTRY:  INDIA

DISH:  ACHAR MURGH

CONTRIBUTED BY:  Minako Sarkar, Spouse to Ambassador      

 

This is my favourite recipe from the cookbook called ” Hyderabadi Cuisine ” by Pratibha Karan. I have cooked this often for our dinner table. It is very simple to cook, and it is delicious. It’s a refreshing change from usual butter chicken or chicken curry.

 

 

Ingredients:

1 kg chicken cut into 10 to 12 pieces

1- 4 teaspoons red chilli powder (adjust to taste)

2 tablespoons ground ginger and garlic

1 and 1/2 teaspoons cumin powder

2 teaspoons coriander powder

5 tablespoons lemon juice

6 green chillies halved

1/4 cup curry leaves

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

Salt to taste

 

For Baghar

2 teaspoons cumin seeds

1/2 teaspoon nigella seeds

3-6 whole dry red chillies

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds

2/3 cup oil

 

Method

  1. Put the chicken in a heavy based pan, add to it all the ingredients except the ones for Baghar. Marinate for an hour.
  2. Heat oil and add the ingredients for Baghar.
  3. After few seconds, the whole chillies darken, the mustard seeds pop and the curry leaves give out aroma.
  4. Pour the Baghar over the marinated chicken. Cover the dish immediately. (Be careful not to burn the spices completely black!)
  5. Cook first on high and then on a medium-to-slow heat.
  6. Stir from time to time, cook until the chicken is tender and the water dries up.