Chicken Do Pyaza

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp rapeseed (canola) oil
• 1/2 small onion, quartered and divided into petals
• 3 green cardamom pods, lightly bruised
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• ½ tsp coriander seeds, roughly chopped
• 1 ½ tbsp garlic and ginger paste
• 2 tsp mixed powder
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• 1–2 tsp mild or hot chilli powder, to taste
• 70ml tomato purée
• 300ml (2 cups) base curry sauce
• 300g (10.5 oz) pre-cooked chicken
• 4 tbsp onion paste made with yoghurt
• ½ tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi)
• Salt, to taste
• Small bunch of coriander (cilantro), chopped
• ½ tsp garam masala

Steps

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large pan over a high heat. When good and hot, toss in the onion petals and sear them until they are nicely charred but still quite crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate.
2. Reduce the heat to medium–high and pour in the rest of the oil. When bubbles start to appear, add the whole spices. Stir the spices around in the oil for about 30 seconds and enjoy the aroma of that awesome meal you’re making.
3. Stir in the garlic and ginger paste and let it sizzle until fragrant, then add the mixed powder, ground cumin, chilli powder and tomato purée.
4. Give this all a good stir and then add a ladleful of the base curry sauce. The curry sauce will begin to bubble rapidly and, when it does, add the rest of the sauce.
5. Turn up the heat and simmer; some of the sauce may begin to caramelize on the side of the pan, so just stir this in from time to time for more flavour.
6. Add the chicken pieces and continue to simmer, without stirring, for about 2 minutes until the chicken is warmed through.
7. The sauce will cook down and become thicker, but if it becomes too thick for your liking, add a little chicken stock or base curry sauce.
8. Stir in the onion paste 1 tablespoon at a time, then the dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi) and charred onion petals. Season with salt, then sprinkle with the coriander (cilantro), fried onions and garam masala to serve.