Assamese Black Sesame Chicken (Til Diya Kukura Mangxo)

Ingredients

• 600 g chicken
• 0.5 cup black sesame seeds
• 0.25 cup mustard oil
• 2 onions (medium, sliced)
• 3 green chillies (chopped)
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 0.25 tsp turmeric powder
• salt (to taste)
• 1.5 tsp cumin powder
• 1.5 tsp garam masala
• 1.5 cup hot water
• fresh coriander (for garnish)
• 2.5 green chillies (slit, for garnish; source gives 2–3)
• lemon juice (optional; a squeeze, for garnish)

Steps

1. 1

   Dry-roast the black sesame seeds in a pan over low heat, stirring continuously until fragrant. Watch carefully so they do not burn; because the seeds are black, over-roasting can be difficult to spot.

2. 2

   Take the pan off the heat and let the roasted sesame seeds cool. Grind them to a fine powder and set aside.

3. 3

   Heat the mustard oil in a pan. Add the sliced onions and cook until translucent.

4. 4

   Add the chopped green chillies, ginger-garlic paste, and turmeric powder. Continue cooking until the onions soften.

5. 5

   Add the chicken and salt. Cook over high heat for about 3 minutes.

6. 6

   Add the ground roasted black sesame and mix well. Cook for another 2 minutes.

7. 7

   Pour in the hot water and cover the pan. Cook for 20–25 minutes, or until the chicken is tender.

8. 8

   Remove the lid and raise the heat to medium-high. Add the cumin powder and garam masala.

9. 9

   Continue cooking until excess water evaporates, the gravy thickens, and oil begins to separate.

10. 10

    Finish with fresh coriander, slit green chillies, and a squeeze of lemon juice if desired. Serve hot with rice or roti.

Notes

Serve hot with rice or roti. The source does not specify quantities for the fresh coriander or optional lemon juice. Prep and total times are estimates; the stated covered cooking time is 20–25 minutes, with additional time for reducing the gravy.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• Assamese
• Indian
• chicken
• gluten-free
• dairy-free
• stovetop
• curry