This delicious Eastern Indian dish sounds exotic and difficult to make, but it is very easy to do. It is a wonderfully spiced chicken that is great served with basmati rice.
3 1⁄2 lb. chicken, quartered and skinned (or chicken breasts)
salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
ghee (a clarified Indian butter) or butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 c. yellow onions, finely chopped
2 T. ginger powder
2 t. cumin powder
2 t. yellow mustard seeds, freshly ground
1 t. ground cinnamon
1⁄2 t. ground cloves
1 T. turmeric
1 1⁄2 t. cayenne pepper
1 T. paprika
2 t. freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 T. distilled white vinegar
1 t. brown sugar
2 t. salt
2 c. water
tamarind paste:
2 T. dried tamarind, mixed with
2 T. hot water, worked through a sieve, discarding the seeds
**If you are not a fan of spicy dishes, use half of the amount of cumin and cayenne and one cup of tomato sauce and one cup of water.
Wash chicken and pat dry; season with salt and pepper.
Heat a large skillet; brown chicken in the Ghee in two batches.
Remove chicken to a 6 quart stove-top type covered casserole, leaving the fat in the skillet.
Add garlic and onion to the skillet; sauté until golden brown; add to the casserole with the ginger, cumin, mustard seed, cinnamon, cloves, turmeric, cayenne, and paprika. Sauté all for a few minutes; add all the remaining ingredients, except for the garnishes.
Cover; simmer until chicken is tender. about 45 minutes,stirring a few times during cooking. Partially remove the lid during the last 10 minutes or so to thicken the sauce.
Top with garnishes.
Ghee: Butter that is cooked to separate the clear butter fat from the milk solids and moisture, an ingenious method that allows butter to keep for long periods of time.
Tamarind: Tamarind paste and concentrate, fresh products, are available in the produce section of many ethnic markets. Both products, made from the tamarind pod, need to be reconstituted.
4-6 servings.