Chicken with Fenugreek Leaves from India Cookbook

Make your own Chicken with Fenugreek Leaves from India: The Cookbook.

Chicken with Fenugreek Leaves

From India: The Cookbook  (November 2010 $49.95), by Pushpesh Pant, Phaidon Press, www.phaidon.com

 

Methi Murg

Chicken with Fenugreek Leaves

 

Origin Punjab

Preparation time 30 minutes, plus marinating time

Cooking time 40-45 minutes

Serves 4

 

Ingredients

 

1 teaspoon Ginger Paste (see recipe below)

1 teaspoon Garlic Paste (see recipe below)

2 onions, sliced

2 tablespoons natural (plain) yoghurt, whisked

1 teaspoon chili powder

½ teaspoon ground turmeric1

1 medium-sized chicken, cut into pieces

180ml / 6 ½ fl oz ( ¾ cup) vegetable oil

2 large cardamom pods2

1 cinnamon stick, about 2.5 cm / 1 inch long

3 green chilies, de-seeded and chopped

½ teaspoon ground caraway seeds3

125 g / 8 oz (2 cups) fenugreek leaves, chopped4

juice of 1 lime

salt

 

1 turmeric is a spice made from the rhizome of the turmeric plant, which is ground to make a bright yellow powder. It has a warm, dry flavour and is found in almost all curries and pickles. It also has antiseptic properties.

2 cardamom is a spice made from the dried pods of the cardamom plant, used in both sweet and savoury dishes, and known as elaichi in India. The most common variety has green pods, while the other has black-brown pods with a more astringent flavour. Ground green cardamom is also available from Asian grocery stores.

3 caraway seeds are a spice used to flavour rice dishes, breads, biscuits and cakes, and also in many fish recipes. Also valued for its carminative, digestive properties

4fenugreek is an aromatic bittersweet spice known as methi in India. The seeds have a strong flavour, and the chopped and dried leaves (kasoori methi), are milder. Both the seeds and leaves are used to add a wholesome touch to curries, pickles and chutneys.

 

 

Instructions

 

To make a marinade, mix the ginger and garlic pastes, 1 onion, to yoghurt, chili powder and turmeric together in a large shallow dish or bowl and season with salt. Add the chicken and turn to coat well, then cover and set aside in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

 

Heat half of the oil in a large, heavy-based pan over low heat, add the marinated chicken and cook for about 8-10 minutes, or until the chicken in browned. Pour in 750ml / 1 ¼ pints ( 3 ¼ cups) water and cook for about 30 minutes, or until two-thirds of the water has evaporated and the chicken is cooked.

 

Heat the rest of the oil in a frying pan (skillet) over medium heat, add the cardamom pods, cinnamon, chilies, ground caraway seeds and the remaining onion and fry for about 1-2 minutes, or until the cardamoms swell. Add the chopped fenugreek leaves and fry for 3-4 minutes. Add the cooked chicken and simmer together until the leaves are fragrant, then squeeze over the lime juice. There should be some thick green sauce with the chicken.

 

 

Ginger Paste

 

Pisi Adrak

Ginger Paste

 

Origin Pan- India

Preparation time 20 minutes, plus chilling time

Makes about 250g / 9oz

 

Ingredients

 

1 x 14-cm / 5 ½ inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped

 

Instructions

 

Put the ginger in a blender, add 3 tablespoons water and process to make a smooth paste. Transfer to a container and chili in the refrigerator. This paste can be stored for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

 

 

Garlic Paste

 

Pisi Lehsun

Garlic Paste

 

Origin Pan-India

Preparation time 15 minutes, plus chilling time

Makes about 200g / 7 oz

 

Ingredients

 

200g / 7oz (about 5 heads) roughly chopped garlic

 

Instructions

 

Put the garlic in a blender, add 3 tablespoons water and process to make a fine paste. Transfer to a container and chill and in the refrigerator. This paste can be stored for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.