Chicken Keema Pav

Ingredients

• 4 – 6 fresh burger buns
• 4 tbsp lightly salted butter
• 500g minced (ground) chicken
• FOR THE CURRY
• 3 tbsp mustard oil or rapeseed (canola) oil, I use mustard oil
• 2 Indian bay leaves (Cassia leaves)
• 1 x 5cm cinnamon stick
• 2 green cardamom pods or 1 black, bruised
• 5 cloves
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 1 tbsp Kashmiri chilli powder, more or less to taste
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp ground fennel
• A pinch of ground mace
• 1 ½ tbsp ground coriander
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• ¾ tsp ground turmeric
• 210ml (1 ¼ cup) water or stock (approx.)
• 3 medium red onions, very finely chopped
• 2 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
• 125ml (1/2 cup) passata
• 5 tbsp plain natural yoghurt, whisked until smooth
• 4 green finger chillies, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp cold butter
• Salt to taste
• 3 tbsp coriander (cilantro), finely chopped

Steps

1. Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat until visibly hot. Stir in the whole spices and stir them into the oil for about 30 seconds to flavour the oil. Stir in the chopped onions and fry for about 5 minutes or until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and ginger paste and stir it into the onions for about 30 seconds.
2. Mix the chilli powder, garam masala, fennel, mace, coriander, cumin and turmeric together and pour them into the pan, followed immediately with 70ml (1/4 cup) water and bring it all to a simmer. Stir in the passata and again bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium and cover the pan to simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Lift the lid and add the minced (ground) chicken. Stir it right in with a wooden spoon or spatula and press it down to break the meat down for a couple of minutes until you have no lumps in the meat. Cover the pan again for five minutes. When you lift the lid, you will see that the oil has raised to the top. Stir in the whisked yoghurt one tablespoon at a time until completely combined into the meat. Cover the pan again for about 3 minutes.
4. Lift the lid and again you will see the oil flowing on top and it will smell amazing. Pour in about 250ml (1 cup) water or chicken stock and bring to a simmer over a medium-high heat. Let it simmer until it looks a bit like a Bolognese. Stir in the chopped chillies and butter and then try some and add salt to taste. Garnish with the chopped coriander. Keep warm.
5. Now in another frying pan, melt two tablespoon butter over a medium-high heat and add half of your buns. Toast on both sides in the hot butter and then repeat with the remaining butter and buns. Obviously, if you have a large enough pan, this can all be done at the same time.
6. Serve the keema either in a bowl and dip the buns in it or slather it all over the buns and dig in.