Hyderabadi Red Chicken Curry

Ingredients

• 600 g boneless chicken (cut into bite-sized pieces)
• 2 onions (medium, fried (barista style))
• 3 tbsp yogurt (curd)
• 2 tbsp desiccated coconut (dry-roasted)
• 10 almonds
• 10 cashews
• 2 tomatoes (pureed)
• 7.5 red chilies (slit)
• 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 3 tbsp ghee (for marinade)
• coriander leaves (handful, chopped; plus extra for garnish)
• mint leaves (handful, chopped)
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp red chili sauce
• 1 tbsp green chili sauce
• 1 tsp garam masala powder
• 0.5 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp Kashmiri red chili powder
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 1 tsp black pepper powder
• 2 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
• 1 lemon juice (juice of 1 lemon)
• 0.5 tsp red food colour (optional)
• 2 tbsp fresh cream (plus extra for finishing)
• 2.5 tbsp cooking oil (for frying chicken)

Steps

1. 1

   Prepare the base paste: In a blender or food processor, combine 3 tbsp yogurt, 10 almonds, 10 cashews, and 2 tbsp dry-roasted desiccated coconut. Blend until the mixture forms a completely smooth paste.

2. 2

   In a large mixing bowl, combine the 600g boneless chicken with the prepared nut-yogurt paste. Add the 2 medium fried onions (barista), 2 pureed tomatoes, 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste, 3 tbsp ghee, and the slit red chilies.

3. 3

   Add the seasonings and sauces to the chicken: 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp red chili sauce, 1 tbsp green chili sauce, 1 tsp garam masala, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1 tbsp Kashmiri red chili powder, 1 tsp red chili powder, 1 tsp black pepper, and 2 tsp salt. Add the chopped coriander, chopped mint, lemon juice, and red food coloring if using.

4. 4

   Mix everything thoroughly so the chicken is evenly coated. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours to allow the flavors to penetrate.

5. 5

   Heat 2-3 tbsp of oil in a wide pan or kadhai over high heat. Once hot, add the marinated chicken and all the marinade juices.

6. 6

   Sauté the chicken on high heat for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently, until the chicken is seared and the spices begin to release their aroma.

7. 7

   Reduce the heat to medium, cover the pan with a lid, and cook for approximately 20 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. The chicken is done when it is tender and the oil has separated from the gravy.

8. 8

   Stir in 2 tbsp of fresh cream and mix well. Garnish with a fresh sprinkle of chopped coriander leaves before serving.

Notes

If you don't have green chili sauce, you can increase the amount of fresh green chilies or use a bit more red chili sauce. The 'barista' onions refer to onions that have been thinly sliced and deep-fried until golden brown and crispy.

Nutrition per serving

• main dish
• chicken curry
• Hyderabadi
• spicy
• Indian
• dinner
• boneless chicken