Tags
chicken, curry, delicious, fenugreek, flavorful, indian, main course, methi, strong flavors
This recipe is delicious and has a very similar flavor profile to butter chicken/murgh makhani but is less complicated and has less ingredients. It is lighter in oil and has a richer bitter greens flavor from the larger volume of methi leaves. ALSO FUCKING FANTASTIC OM NOM NOM .
2 lbs chicken, cut into 2 inch chunks
1 teaspoon turmeric
1-3 green chili pepper (as hot or sweet as per your taste, can exclude altogether)
1/4 cup yogurt
2 cups fresh methi/fenugreek leaves, tender parts and leaves only – washed (you can substitute for dried/Kasoori Methi but use between a 1 and 1.5 cups)
4 green cardamom
2 cloves
1″ piece of cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon cumin powder
2 medium onion, chopped
1 heaping tablespoon of ginger paste (or 1″ piece of fresh ginger root)
1 heaping tablespoon of garlic paste (or 7 cloves of garlic, minced fine)
1/4 cup tomato paste + 1/2 cup water
1/6 cup oil
1/2 teaspoon mace powder
heavy cream to taste
salt to taste (you probably need at least a half teaspoon)
Make a paste with yogurt, turmeric, .5 teaspoons salt and green chili peppers. Marinate chicken in this mixture for 2 to 24 hours.
Chop the methi/fenugreek leaves. In a thick bottomed (cast iron is the best) transfer the leaves and at medium-high heat cook the leaves while stirring until most of the moisture dries up. Drizzle some oil over the leaves and roast them at low heat for about 10 minutes, or until the leaves are fragrant and a shade darker. take out of pan and set aside.
Heat oil in the thick bottomed deep pan. Add the cracked cardamoms, cloves and cinnamon. When they are fragrant (make sure they do not turn dark and burn) add the sliced onions and fry them for about 7-10 minutes at medium heat. Some of the onions will start to turn brown. Add the cumin powder and wait 30 sec to a minute for it to bloom fragrance.
Add chicken from the marinade; reserve extra marinade. Cook chicken while turning often till all pieces are well coated, about 10 minutes. Add tomato, ginger paste, and garlic paste. Bring to a boil and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, 15-20 minutes.
Add the fenugreek leaves and the reserved marinade that you had saved and 1/2 cup of water. Stir to combine. Cover and simmer at low heat for about 12-15 minutes or till the chicken is very tender but not falling apart. Add mace powder and cream.
Time to adjust! I preferred mine thinner, so I added an extra .5 to 1 cup of water. Most people like it thicker though. Taste for salt, add as needed. OM NOM NOM