Chicken Maharaja

Ingredients

• 400 gms chicken with bones
• 1 lemon
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 2 bay leaves
• 5-6 black peppercorns
• 3 cardamoms
• 1 inch stick cinnamon
• 4 cloves
• 2-3 dry red chillies
• 1 onion roughly chopped
• 1 tsp each of ginger garlic paste
• 10-12 cashewnuts
• 5-6 almonds
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1.5 tbsp malai or fresh cream
• 2 tbsp hung curd
• 3-4 green and red chillies
• To taste salt
• 1/4 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp kasoori methi
• 1/2 tsp Shaan Zaffrani Garam Masala
• 1 tbsp coriander chopped
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tbsp clarified butter (ghee)

Steps

1. Marinate chicken with juice of 1 lemon, turmeric and 1/4 th tsp salt for half hour.Meanwhile dry roast ingredients listed under dry roast and grind coarsely.
2. Grind to a smooth paste chopped onion,ginger garlic paste,two green chillies,cashewnuts,almonds, malai.Blend curd also so that there are no lumps while cooking.Heat oil and ghee in a wok. Sprinkle cumin seeds and 2 bay leaves.
3. When they splutter, add the wet ground paste,salt and pinch of sugar to taste.Fry masala tossing all the time so that it doesn't brown underneath. Add marinated chicken and continue frying till oil leaves sides and chicken changes colour.Add a cup of warm water and boil in medium flame covered till chicken is properly cooked.Add crushed kasoori methi and 1 tsp roasted ground masala while cooking.
4. Sprinkle Shaan Zaffrani Garam masala, few cashewnuts and chopped coriander. Toss and garnish with some more dry roasted masala,chopped coriander and green and red chillies.Serve hot with jeera rice,tandoori roti,phulka or any Indian flatbread for a special weekend dinner or at parties.