SUKHA CHICKEN

Spicy, hot, little tangy, sleek, tender; I meant the pictures. I am too innocent. Anyway, my job here is to describe and discuss the above picture and I should concentrate on that. I think Chicken has an universal approach, at almost every home, throughout the world. A very handy and healthy thing, it is so easy and such a pleasure to cook, given it takes least time to prepare and loved by my men. Whatever way you cook it, its tasty! I think its easy level of cooking makes it popular with all, from working women to bachelors. And you do not have to give much effort in the process. Extremely popular at my home, its almost an everyday affair. With Google in hand, I am absolutely relaxed and confident I won't get bored following the same recipe and force them eating it.

The chapati lovers at home loves it dry at times. So, last week I had some boneless pieces, was thinking what should be the quickest way to prepare them, I was just not in the mood to go for an elaborate process. This recipe has no originality. You will see I used curry leaves alongside Punjabi garam masala, garnished with spring onion; later thought I may be promoting Harmony actually through this dish. You need very less ingredients to prepare this and the outcome is surely to make you happy.

INGREDIENTS :

Chicken[boneless] : 500 gm
Tomato : 2 big
Curry Leaves : 8-10
Onion : 2 big
Green Chilli Paste : 2 tsp
Garlic Paste : 3 tbsp
Ginger Paste : 1 tbsp
Red Chilli Powder : 1 tsp
Garam Masala Powder : 1tsp
Coriander Powder : 1tbsp
Turmeric Powder : 2 tsp
Salt : As required
Bay Leaf : 1
Oil : 4 tbsp
Lemon Juice : 4 tbsp
Spring Onions to garnish.

METHOD :

Wash and marinate the chicken pieces with lemon juice, salt and 1 tsp turmeric powder for about 2 hours. Wash, cut,deseed and roughly chop the tomatoes. Slice the onions thinly and wash. Get your ginger-garlic paste ready.

Heat oil in a wok. Temper with a bay leaf. Add the sliced onions. As they turn golden brown, add the curry leaves, stir 1 or 2 times. Add the ginger-garlic paste. Saute till the raw smell goes away and you get the nice aroma of fried ginger-garlic.

At this stage, add the tomato pieces and the salt required. Saute till the tomato boils and blends with the spice paste well. Add the red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder. Fry till the oil separates from the spices.

Add the Chicken along with the marination. Mix well with the spices. Stir at hight heat for 5 minutes. Lower the heat to lowest and cover. Stir every 3 minutes. No need to add water. It will be cooked in the water released.

When the chicken pieces are almost tender, add the Punjabi garam masala. Stir well and cook further covered till all the water is absorbed. Its a dry dish. The cooking may take 40-45 minutes.

Once done transfer into a serving bowl and garnish with spring onions. Its a dry dish, to be served with naan / kulcha / chapati / paratha / plain rice / pulao.