Step 1: Prepare Ingredients

Dice two white onions, mince about seven cloves of garlic, and mince a thumbnail-sized piece of ginger for the curry paste. Slice one red onion thickly and julienne a thumbnail-sized piece of ginger for garnish. Chop two medium tomatoes.

Step 2: Marinate the Chicken

In a bowl, combine 500g of boneless chicken thighs with 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of Kashmiri red chili powder, 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder, and 1 tablespoon of mustard oil. Mix well to coat the chicken evenly. Ideally, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.

Step 3: Fry Garnish Onions and Ginger

Heat 1 cup of cooking oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the thickly sliced red onions and fry until golden brown. Remove the fried onions and set aside. Then, add the julienned ginger to the same oil and fry for about 2 minutes until slightly golden. Remove the fried ginger and set aside with the onions.

Step 4: Fry the Marinated Chicken

Add the marinated chicken to the hot oil in the pan. Fry for 5 minutes on one side until lightly browned, then turn and fry for another 5 minutes on the other side. The chicken should be partially cooked and have a fried texture. Remove the fried chicken and set aside, reserving the flavored oil in the pan.

Step 5: Prepare the Curry Paste Base

Pour out any excess oil, leaving about 6 tablespoons of the flavored oil in the pan. Heat the oil over medium heat. Add the diced white onions, minced garlic, and minced ginger. Stir and cook until the onions soften and turn translucent. Add 1 teaspoon of salt to help the onions cook faster.

Step 6: Add Chillies and Deglaze

Add the whole green chilies (with stems) to the pan. Pour in 1/2 cup of hot water to deglaze the pan, scraping up any flavorful bits from the bottom. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 6-8 minutes over medium-high heat until the liquid reduces and the onions are very soft.

Step 7: Cook Spices and Tomatoes

Once the oil has separated and the liquid has reduced, reduce the gas to low. Add 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon of Kashmiri red chili powder, 2 teaspoons of coriander powder, 1 teaspoon of ground cumin, and 1 teaspoon of curry powder. Stir well to combine the spices. Add 1 tablespoon of tomato puree and the chopped tomatoes. Increase the heat to high and cook, stirring constantly, until the tomatoes mash up and form a thick paste.

Step 8: Simmer the Gravy

Add 1 cup of water to the curry paste, stirring to combine all ingredients. Bring to a simmer. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 8-10 minutes over medium-high heat until the oil separates and the gravy thickens.

Step 9: Combine Chicken and Gravy

Reduce the gas to low. Add the fried chicken pieces back into the gravy. Stir well to coat the chicken with the rich gravy. Cover the pan and cook for 5 minutes over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.

Step 10: Final Garnish and Dum Cooking

Add the fried red onions and fried ginger juliennes to the curry. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of Kasuri dried methi and 2 tablespoons of fresh chopped coriander over the dish. Reduce the gas to the lowest setting, cover the pan with a lid, and let it dum cook for 4-5 minutes. This final step allows the flavors to meld and the garnishes to infuse into the curry.

Step 11: Serve the Ultimate Chicken Curry

Turn off the gas. Serve the glorious chicken curry hot with plain white rice. Garnish with additional fresh coriander and sliced Krishna chilies for an extra kick and presentation.

• Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes in the fridge for enhanced flavor.

• Frying the ginger for garnish reduces its peppery taste and adds a wonderful flavor.

• Avoid turning the chicken too early while frying to prevent it from sticking to the pan.

• Do not wash the pan after frying the chicken; the residue adds significant flavor to the curry paste.

• Adding salt to the diced onions helps them soften faster.

• Deglaze the pan with hot water to incorporate all the rich flavors from the bottom of the pan into the curry paste.

• Dum cooking (simmering on low heat with a lid) at the end elevates the dish by infusing all the garnishes and spices.