Smoked Chicken Afghani

Ingredients

• 1 kg chicken
• For marination:
• 4 tbsp yogurt
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp vinegar
• 1 tsp ginger paste
• 1 tsp garlic paste
• 1 tsp black pepper powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp chaat masala
• 1/2 tsp salt
• FOR gravy:
• 3 medium onions
• 7-8 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp ginger paste
• 10-12 cashewnuts
• 1 tbsp poppy seed paste
• 1 tsp black pepper powder
• 1 tsp kasoori methi (dry fenugreek leaves)
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• For green masala:
• 2 tbsp yogurt
• 2-3 tbsp malai or fresh cream
• 3-4 green chillies
• 1/4 th cup coriander chopped
• 4 tbsp oil or as needed
• 2 tbsp clarified butter
• 3 cardamoms
• 4-5 cloves
• 1 inch cinnamon
• 7-8 black peppercorns

Steps

1. Make deep incisions in the chicken pieces before marinating to aid in stimulating the flavour of spices in chicken.Then marinate it for 1 hour with 1/2 tsp roasted kasoori methi, ginger garlic paste,black pepper powder,chaat masala,yogurt,garam masala,lemon juice,vinegar,salt to taste and 2 tbsp oil. Meanwhile fry garlic,roughly chopped onion and cashewnuts till translucent. Cool and make a paste of it alongwith poppy seeds.
2. For green masala: Make a paste of yogurt, fresh cream or malai,1 tbsp roughly chopped coriander and 3-4 green chillies.
3. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan and arrange the marinated chicken shaking off the marinade. Reserve it to add it to gravy.Fry the pieces in batches from medium to high heat for approximately 7-8 minutes till both sides are well browned and roasted.
4. Add ghee to the remaining oil and sprinkle half crushed whole garam masalas and black pepper.Now add the ground masala paste for gravy alongwith rest of the remaining marinade. Fry few minutes and add the chicken.Also add the green masala paste,rest of roasted fenugreek leaves and salt to taste.Keep frying till oil leaves sides.Add 1 cup warm water and give a mix. Cover and cook on low heat till gravy thickens. Toss in between. Adjust gravy according to need.Sprinkle chilli flakes and toss.
5. For infusing smoky barbecue flavour,light up a charcoal on direct heat till it is red hot.Place it in a steel bowl or aluminium foil and drizzle a tsp of ghee on it. As soon as it starts smoking, immediately cover with a lid to lock the smoke inside.
6. Remove coal after 5 minutes.Sprinkle chilli flakes and garnish with finely chopped red and green chillies and chopped coriander. Serve hot with tandoori roti, naan or any Indian flatbread of choice or with fried rice for a special weekend dinner.