Chicken Thick Gravy

Step 1: Prepare Chicken and Onions

Clean 1 kg chicken pieces thoroughly with salt, turmeric, and lemon. Heat cooking oil in a large pot. Add 5 large sliced onions and fry until they turn light brown. Add a little salt to speed up the cooking process.

Step 2: Fry Chicken

Once onions are light brown, remove half of them and set aside for the masala paste. Add the cleaned chicken pieces to the remaining onions in the pot. Fry the chicken on high flame until it changes color.

Step 3: Add Ginger-Garlic and Turmeric

Add 2 teaspoons of ginger-garlic paste and a pinch of turmeric powder to the chicken. Mix well and continue to fry on high flame for about 3 minutes.

Step 4: Add Chili Powder and Tomatoes

Add 2 teaspoons of Kashmiri red chili powder and 1 teaspoon of regular chili powder (adjust to your spice preference). Mix quickly to prevent the chili powder from burning. Immediately add the chopped tomatoes. Mix well and add a little more salt to help the tomatoes soften. Cover the pot and cook until the tomatoes are soft and the oil separates, approximately 5 minutes.

Step 5: Prepare Masala Paste

While the chicken and tomatoes are cooking, prepare the masala paste. In a mixer jar, combine 4 teaspoons of shredded coconut, the reserved fried onions, 4-5 cashew nuts, 1 green cardamom, 2-3 cloves, and a small piece of cinnamon stick. Blend these ingredients into a fine paste.

Step 6: Add Dry Spices

Once the chicken and tomatoes are cooked and oil has separated, add 2 teaspoons of coriander powder, 0.5 teaspoon of garam masala powder, and 1.5 teaspoons of Aachi chicken masala powder. Mix all the spices thoroughly with the chicken. Continue frying on medium flame for 2-5 minutes until the spices are well incorporated and their raw smell disappears.

Step 7: Add Masala Paste and Simmer

Add the prepared masala paste to the chicken. Mix the paste thoroughly with the chicken and continue to fry for another 5-10 minutes until the raw smell of the masala paste is gone and the oil separates again. At this point, the chicken should be about 75% cooked.

Step 8: Add Water and Finish Cooking

Add approximately 1.5 glasses (300-400 ml) of water for the desired gravy consistency. Mix well. Cover the pot and let it simmer for about 5 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked and the gravy thickens to your liking. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves before serving.

• Add a pinch of salt to onions and tomatoes while frying to help them cook faster.

• Do not over-fry chili powder to prevent it from burning and turning bitter.

• Frying the chicken and spices thoroughly is key to a flavorful curry.

• Adjust the amount of chili powder based on your preferred spice level.

• Serve with chapati, rice, or ragi mudde (sangati).