20110320 Murg Shahjehani (Imperial Chicken)

(SOURCE: Indian: Cookbook by Pushpesh Pant - Murg Shahjehani)

This is from Delhi. I found this interesting site about the cuisines of Delhi - they said if you feed Delhi people well, they will give you anything you want! This is a lightly colored curry with a very fragrant taste, thanks to the onion/garlic/ginger paste. My husband really liked the gravy and even asked for more rice with gravy!

INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp vegetable oil
3 large onions, sliced
2 tbsp garlic paste
1 tsp ginger paste
8 cloves
1 tsp black peppercorns
2 cinnamon sticks
1 tbsp ground cardamom
1 tsp poppy seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp chilli powder
250ml plain yoghurt
1kg chicken drumsticks
salt

METHOD
1. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat, add the onions and stir fry for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, allow to cool slightly, then place in a food processor to make a paste (add a little water if necessary). Set aside.
2. Lightly stir fry the cloves, black peppercorns, cinnamon, cardamom, poppy seeds, cumin seeds, coriander, and chilli powder in a dry frying pan for about a minute. Transfer to a blender, add salt and the yoghurt and process to make a paste. Transfer to a large bowl and add the chicken pieces. Mix well and marinate in the fridge for at least 45 minutes.
3. In a Dutch oven, add the onion/garlic/ginger paste and the drumsticks, and cook over low heat for about 40 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.