Chicken Keema (Indian Style)

Ingredients

• ¼ cup oil
• 3 garlic
• ½ inch ginger
• 3-4 indian green chillies (hot), adjust to taste, substitute with serrano peppers
• 1 cup (~160g) onion chopped
• 1 lb ground chicken
• 2 large (~200g) tomatoes pureed or use canned tomato sauce
• ¼ cup plain greek yogurt or thick yogurt
• 1 large russet potato peeled and cubed into small pieces
• Ginger Julinnes, Coriander leaves to garnish
• 1 large bay leaf
• 4 green cardamom
• 1.5 inch cinnamon stick
• 3 teaspoon coriander powder
• 2 teaspoon kashmiri chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon red chilli powder (hot), adjust to taste
• ½ teaspoon (scant) turmeric powder
• ½ teaspoon black pepper powder
• 1.25 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
• 1 teaspoon garam masala

Steps

1. Pull out the chicken keema from the refrigerator 20-30 minutes prior to cooking.
2. Add ginger, garlic and green chillies to a mortar pestle or a small blender jar and make a coarse paste. You could skip or reduce green chilies if making for kids.
3. Add roughly chopped fresh tomatoes to the blender jar and make a smooth puree. Keep the tomatoes aside.
4. To a heavy botton cooking pot, add mustard oil and heat up on low medium until slightly smoky
5. Add the whole spices and immediately add ginger, green chilli and garlic paste. Fry the paste in oil for 20 seconds or so without letting it brown. You will smell a wonderful aroma.
6. Then, add the chopped onions. Fry the onions on medium heat for next 7-9 minutes or until they are golden brown.
7. Introduce the ground chicken. Using a spatula break the mince and mix with the onions however make sure that small granules remain. Dont mash the keema
8. In about 2-3 minutes you will notice that the chicken is changing color to pale brown. Keep stirring the keema intermittently to make sure its evenly browning.
9. In 5-6 minutes, you will start seeing a lot of chicken juices. Add the spice powders (except garam masala) and salt right now. Mix well with the chicken and continue to brown. For the the next 6-8 minutes we are going to brown the chicken keema on medium-high heat until all the moisture evaporates.
10. Slowly the moisture of the chicken will dry up and you will see that the keema will be shiny. At this point, if you make a well in the center of keema, you will see no juices releasing from the keema to cover the center of the pot.
11. Mix in the blended tomatoes with the keema at this point and continue to fry for 3-5 minutes.
12. Next, reduce the heat to low and add the yogurt. Immediately start mixing and don't stop for next 2 minutes. This way the yogurt won't curdle. Keema will resemble a wet slurry now.
13. Mix in the potatoes if using, add 1 cup hot water and cover the pot. Let cook for 8-10 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through (fork tender).Tip – Don't let the potatoes get too soft else they will disintegrate and spoil the texture of keema.
14. Uncover, you will notice a thin, red hued layer of oil on top. Your chicken keema is ready. Finish with ginger julinnes, garam masala and fresh coriander leaves.
15. Instant Pot – Use saute mode to brown the chicken keema. Once you have added potatoes and water, pressure cook for high for 3 minutes with vent in sealing position. Let pressure release naturally for 5 minutes. Open the lid and finish the chicken keema with garam masala and cilantro leaves.Pressure Cooker – Add potatoes and water, pressure cook for 5-6 minutes or 2-3 whistles. Let pressure release naturally. Open the lid and finish the chicken keema with garam masala and dhaniya patti (coriander leaves).