A Subtle Flavoured Chicken

 Ok so most of the Indian restaurants that serve chicken have something so very unique about their taste. It lingers on and keeps one craving for more. I wanted to bust that secret...so the inspiration to do this dish is of course once again the proposed arrival of my younger one. He's on a bus home and I know I am easily gonna fool him with this dish.

I did fool him with my earlier post on the green chicken. He shamelessly asked me whether I actually prepared it or bought it from somewhere. I almost took my rolling pin to throw on his head.

I understand that some subtle flavours can be made simply by roasting or toasting and then grinding some spices to a paste and adding it to the curry...Thus I sliced around three to four medium sized onions and left it to brown on a simmer adjusting the flame from time to time. Once the finely sliced onions browned well ,I left it to cool.

Blanched and chopped around two medium sized tomatoes. Pulsed and made to a paste some poppy seeds, dry red chillies, cashewnuts, almonds, four cloves, a long stick of cinnamon, a few cardamoms and a little bit of water. If you do not want to add those spices, just add a tbsp. of garam masala which consists of the same :) Do add ginger and garlic as well and it should all blend well with the spices.

 Wash and clean the chicken and set all the ground spices near you. Once the browned onions have cooled, grind that as well...Oh Yumm! It tastes divine on its own but then it has to go into our curry.

In a heavy bottom pan, add ghee/butter or oil whichever suits you fine. I used butter (Gulp!) Into this butter, add the ground spice mix and given it all a nice toss and turn, then add in your chopped tomatoes. Do be careful, once the paste is introduced to the butter, it may spit back.

 By now the smell and feel of your curry emanates the aroma of some Royal cooking happening in your pan. Slide in the chicken along with the ground browned onions and all are tossed about well so as to evenly coat each of the chicken pieces. Adequate salt has to be added and water to suit the consistency you are looking for. As the chicken gets almost done, slide in if you wish(optional) some slit aubergines/egg plants and let it also cook along.

Thus, this is the perfect option for vegetarians-either use aubergines or baby potatoes sans the chicken.

 Taste the curry and if you require some more spice, add a tbsp. of Kashmiri Chilly and a tsp. of garam masala. Once the curry is done and your chicken almost resembles a gravy, switch off the flame and pour in some fresh cream and stir in all contents once again well.

 You are tempted once the dish is done to garnish with a few coriander leaves, please do not! Leave the dish like so -creamy and subtle in flavour and appearance.