Achaari Murg – Chicken Curry with Pickling Spices

Wash and pat dry the chicken pieces.

Marinate chicken with salt, yogurt and 1 teaspoon turmeric for about 40 minutes.

Dry roast red chillies, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, nigella/kalonji/onion seeds, cinnamon and cloves; roasting each spice separately. Each spice should take about a couple of minutes to roast on a hot and dry pan. Take them out of the pan, when you see them turn a shade darker and when they start getting fragrant. Cool the spices and grind them all together into a coarse powder using a food processor or a mortar and pestle; set aside.

Heat oil in a thick-bottomed pan.

Add onions and sauté over medium heat till light brown. Add ginger paste/grated ginger and minced garlic and continue to sauté for about 7 minutes at medium heat. Add the coarsely ground dry spice powder. Cook for half a minute, stirring all the time so the spices do not stick to the pan.

Add the chicken pieces and cook on high heat till the chicken is well browned on all sides. Add grated tomatoes, the rest of the turmeric powder, red chili powder (if you are using chili powder) and salt to the pan and toss well till everything is well mixed.

Cook at medium heat till oil is slightly bubbly and leaves the sides of the pan.

Add about 4 cups of water, (more or less as needed to cook the chicken), stir, bring it to a boil and cover the pan. Cook on medium heat till the chicken is fully done; about half an hour to forty minutes. The chicken should be tender enough to be almost falling off the bone or fork tender.

Uncover and cook until the sauce is to your desired consistency. There should be enough sauce to dunk a bread and eat, but not too watery and soupy.

Garnish with fresh coriander/cilantro if you want .

Serve hot with Naan/Paratha/Flatbread or Pulav/Pilaf.