1,000 Indian Recipes (244 page)

2 tablespoons
Hyderabadi Ginger-Garlic Paste

3 tablespoons peanut oil

1 large onion, cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced

1 (2
¹
⁄
₂
- to 3-pound) chicken, skinned and cut into serving pieces (discard the back and wings)

1 to 3 fresh green chile peppers, such as serrano, coarsely chopped

1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon cayenne pepper

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon ground turmeric

2 cups packed fresh washed fenugreek leaves, minced by hand or food processor

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems

1.
Prepare the ginger-garlic paste. Then heat the oil in a large nonstick wok or saucepan over medium-high heat and cook the onion, stirring, until browned, about 10 minutes.

2.
Mix in the ginger-garlic paste, then add the chicken, green chile peppers, salt, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and turmeric and cook, stirring as needed, over high heat the first 3 to 5 minutes and then over medium-low heat until the chicken is browned but still firm, about 15 minutes.

3.
Add the fenugreek leaves and continue to cook until the chicken is very tender and all the oil separates to the sides, about 20 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a serving dish, garnish with chopped cilantro, and serve.

Punjabi Fenugreek Chicken

Punjab ka Methi Murgh

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Made with pan-roasted fresh fenugreek leaves, this is the home version of a popular restaurant-style dish from northern India. It looks superb, keeps well, and tastes even better the next day.

2 cups packed fresh washed fenugreek leaves

1
¹
⁄
₂
cups nonfat plain yogurt, whisked until smooth

¹
⁄
₂
cup water

3 tablespoons peanut oil

2 medium onions, finely chopped

2 tablespoons peeled minced fresh ginger

2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic

1 fresh green chile pepper, such as serrano, minced with seeds

1
¹
⁄
₂
pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin 2-by-1-inch pieces

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1
¹
⁄
₄
teaspoons garam masala

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon ground paprika

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1.
In a food processor, process the fenugreek leaves until minced. Transfer to a cast-iron or nonstick wok or saucepan. In the same food processor, process together the yogurt and water until smooth.

2.
Place the wok with the fenugreek leaves over medium-high heat and cook, stirring, until all the moisture dries up (there is always some water clinging to the leaves after they are washed). Reduce the heat to medium-low, add 1 tablespoon oil and roast, stirring the leaves, until they are fragrant and much darker in color, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove to a bowl.

3.
Add the remaining oil to the same wok and cook the onions over medium-high heat, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the ginger, garlic, and green chile pepper, stir 1 minute, then mix in the chicken, coriander, 1 teaspoon garam masala, paprika, turmeric, and salt. Cook the chicken, stirring as needed, until it is golden on all sides, about 7 minutes.

4.
Mix in the cooked fenugreek leaves and the yogurt-water mixture and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to medium, and cook, stirring as needed, until the chicken is very tender, the sauce thick, and the oil separates to the sides, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with the
¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon garam masala, and serve.

Cilantro Chicken Drumsticks in a Wok

Kadhai mein Dhania Tangdi-Murgh

Makes 4 to 6 servings

This dish, commonly cooked in
kadhai
woks at
dhabas
(roadside restaurants), is customarily made with a cut-up whole chicken. I use only chicken drumsticks, so my recipe is faster and easier. Along with onions and bell peppers, this dish gets its trademark flavors from the unique
kadhai masala
, which is a blend of coriander, fenugreek, mint, and many other spices.

2 tablespoons
Spicy Masala for Wok-Cooked Foods (kadhai masala)
or store-bought

2 large tomatoes, coarsely chopped

3 cups coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems + 2 tablespoons finely chopped

3 tablespoons peanut oil

2 (1-inch) pieces peeled fresh ginger, cut into thin matchsticks

2 small onions, cut in half lengthwise and thickly sliced

2 large cloves fresh garlic, minced

10 to 12 skinless chicken drumsticks

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon salt, or to taste

2 green, red, or yellow bell peppers, cut into 1
¹
⁄
₂
-by-
¹
⁄
₂
-inch strips

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon garam masala

1.
Prepare the kadhai masala. Then, in a food processor, process together the tomatoes and cilantro to make as smooth as possible.

2.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick wok or saucepan over medium-high heat and cook the ginger and onion, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes.

3.
Add the garlic and kadhai masala and stir about 1 minute. Add the drumsticks and salt and cook, stirring, until golden, about 7 minutes.

4.
Add the bell peppers, tomatoes and cilantro mixture, and cook until the chicken is tender and the sauce thick, about 20 minutes. Serve in the wok, or transfer to a serving dish, garnish with finely chopped cilantro and garam masala, and serve.

Chicken Curries

Basic Chicken Curry

Har-Roz ki Murgh Kari

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Perfect when served with rice or bread and easy enough to cook every day, this traditional chicken curry is usually the first one taught to all novice Indian cooks. Once you understand the basic procedure, you can vary it as you like.

3 large cloves fresh garlic, peeled

6 quarter-size slices peeled fresh ginger

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

2 large tomatoes, coarsely chopped

¹
⁄
₂
cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems

1 to 3 fresh green chile peppers, stemmed

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 bay leaves

5 green cardamom pods, crushed lightly to break the skin

2 (1-inch) sticks cinnamon

1
¹
⁄
₂
tablespoons ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon garam masala +
¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon for garnish

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

¹
⁄
₂
cup nonfat plain yogurt, whisked until smooth

1 (2
¹
⁄
₂
- to 3-pound) chicken, skinned and cut into serving pieces (discard the back and wings)

1 cup water, or more as required

Cilantro sprigs

1.
In a food processor, process together the garlic, ginger, and onion until minced. Remove to a bowl. Then process together the tomatoes, cilantro, and green chile peppers until smooth. Remove to another bowl and set aside.

2.
Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat and cook the bay leaves, cardamom pods, and cinnamon, stirring, about 30 seconds. Add the onion-garlic mixture and cook until browned, about 7 minutes. Add the tomato-cilantro mixture and continue to cook, stirring, until all the juices evaporate and the oil separates to the sides, about 7 minutes.

3.
Add the coriander, cumin, 1 teaspoon garam masala, turmeric, salt, and black pepper, then mix in the yogurt, stirring constantly to prevent it from curdling, and cook, stirring, until it is incorporated into the sauce.

4.
Add the chicken pieces and stir about 5 minutes to brown them. Then add 1 cup water, cover the pan, and cook over high heat, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to moderate and cook until the chicken is tender and the sauce thick, about 30 minutes, turning the pieces over a few times and adding more water if you prefer a thinner sauce. Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with garam masala and cilantro, and serve.