Here’s a chicken curry recipe that is very different from the usual. This Kasuri methi chicken is a royal and luxurious chicken curry, which is also somehow very light. A perfect meal for the weekend, this curry can be mopped up with naan, laccha parathas, jeera rice or plain pulao. A little bit of salad and raita on the side will make the meal absolutely flawless.
As the name suggests, kasuri methi or dried fenugreek leaves make for a very crucial ingredient in this recipe. In usual Indian curries that utilise the flavour and aroma of kasuri methi, this recipe uses it in slight abundance. The kasuri methi is crushed and added right in the last five minute as the curry bubbles away.
Apart from the kasuri methi itself, there are several other ingredients that lead to the depth of flavour, texture and colour in this kasuri methi chicken recipe. Cashew paste or cashew cream, along with desiccated coconut adds that royal touch to this silken gravy, and so much flavour along with it. The rest of the ingredients are regular chicken curry ingredients – onions, tomatoes, ginger garlic paste and freshly ground spices.
Let’s dive into the recipe.
Preparation time – 20 minutes
Cook time – 40 minutes
Serves – 3
Ingredients
- 500 g chicken
- 3 tbsp oil
- 1 tbsp ghee
- 1/2 cup onion paste
- 2 green chillies, slit in half
- 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 inch cinnamon stick
- 2 cardamoms
- 2 cloves
- 1/4 cup desiccated coconut
- 1 cup fresh tomato paste
- Salt to taste
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
- 1 tbsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 10 cashews, ground to a paste with water
- 1/4 tsp garam masala
- 400 ml hot water
- A handful of crushed kasuri methi
Directions
- Heat oil and ghee in a kadhai.
- Add the whole spices and stir them into the oil for a few seconds.
- Add the onion paste carefully and stir for a few minutes. The rawness of the onions should fade completely before we add anything else. Do not burn.
- Add slit green chillies and ginger garlic paste and cook for another few minutes till its rawness disappears.
- Next, add the desiccated coconut and fry on medium to low flame for another three minutes.
- Throw in a splash of water to prevent the masala from sticking to the pan.
- Stir till the oils of the coconut starts to release.
- Pour in the fresh tomato paste and stir well.
- Let the tomatoes cook completely. You will know it’s done when the oil starts to release from the sides. Do not burn.
- Season with salt, Kashmiri red chilli powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder and coriander powder.
- Cook the masala for 3-4 minutes on medium to low flame.
- Put the chicken pieces and mix everything together, till every piece of chicken is coated well into the masala.
- Fry the chicken for 5-6 minutes.
- Add the cashew paste and stir for another few minutes.
- Cover and cook on low flame for ten minutes, or till the chicken is tender.
- Pour hot water and let the curry come to a roaring boil.
- Once you reach your desired consistency for the curry, garnish with garam masala and kasuri methi or dried fenugreek leaves. Stir for a minute and let it boil for another two minutes.
- Serve hot with naan, tandoori roti or jeera rice.
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