Fastest & the most flavourful Chicken Curry! (Staff Curry)

Step 1: Prepare the Karahi

Place a large karahi (or wok) on the stove and turn the flame to medium-high. Add 200-250ml of cooking oil to the karahi. Once the oil is hot, add 2 tablespoons of ginger and garlic paste and 1 tablespoon of salt. Stir well for about 30 seconds until fragrant and steaming. Add 1.5kg of chicken on the bone to the karahi. Stir to coat the chicken in the ginger-garlic paste. Add 3 bay leaves (Tez Pata) for fragrance. Let the chicken cook for 3-4 minutes until some liquid renders out and it starts to change color.

Step 2: Prepare Tomatoes

While the chicken is cooking, prepare 6-8 medium vine-ripened tomatoes. Remove the stems. Chop the tomatoes into quarters and place them in a blender. Add a drizzle of water (about 1/4 cup) to the blender to help loosen the tomatoes. Blend the tomatoes until a smooth puree is formed.

Step 3: Add Spices and Tomato Puree to Chicken

After 3-4 minutes, the chicken should be slightly cooked and easy to stir without ripping. Add the curry spice mix (3 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp turmeric powder, 2 tsp cumin powder, 3 tsp chili powder) to the chicken. Stir well for about 1 minute to toast the spices and coat the chicken. Pour the fresh tomato puree into the karahi with the chicken. Stir to combine. Add 4-6 green chilies (smashed or slit) to the curry for extra flavor and heat. Increase the heat to medium-high and let the curry come to a boil.

Step 4: Simmer the Chicken Curry

Reduce the heat to very low. Let the chicken curry simmer gently for 10-15 minutes, allowing the oil to separate from the masala and the flavors to intensify. The chicken should be cooked through and tender. Add 1-2 teaspoons of cracked black pepper to the curry. Garnish with fresh coriander.

Step 5: Prepare Lamb Yakhni Pilau

Place a separate small pan on the stove and turn the gas on. Add 4-6 tablespoons of lamb fat (from homemade lamb stock) to the pan. Let it melt. Add 1 tablespoon of ginger and garlic paste and 1 cup of chopped onion (with a bit of green pepper if desired). Stir until the onions soften and the rawness of the ginger-garlic paste is gone. Reduce the gas to low. Add the lamb stock cube (from homemade stock) to the pan. Let it melt and combine with the onions and fat. Add 2 mugfuls of washed and strained Basmati rice to the pan. Stir to combine with the lamb mixture. Add the rice seasoning (1.5 tsp salt, 2 tsp cumin powder). Stir well. Pour 2 mugfuls of boiled water into the rice. Stir gently. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the rice to a simmer. Once simmering, cover the pan tightly with foil and a lid to trap the steam. Reduce the gas to the lowest possible setting. Let the rice cook for 12-15 minutes.

Step 6: Serve

After 12-15 minutes, the rice should be fluffy and the water absorbed. Fluff the rice gently with a spoon. Serve a portion of the lamb yakhni pilau on a plate. Add a piece of the flavorful chicken karahi on top of the rice. Garnish with a lime wedge. Enjoy!

• Use chicken on the bone for a more flavorful curry, as the bones release flavor when fried.

• For the best flavor in the curry, use fresh, crunchy, vine-ripened tomatoes.

• When cooking rice, be careful not to add too much water, as it can make the rice soft. The general rule is 1.5 mugfuls of water per 1 mugful of rice, but adjust based on the rice type and other liquids (like lamb stock).

• For the curry, let the chicken simmer on low heat (dum cooking) after adding tomatoes and spices to intensify the flavors and tenderize the meat.

• If fresh vine-ripened tomatoes are unavailable for the curry, use 1.5 cans of chopped tomatoes blended with 1 cup of water.