Karahi Chicken Drumsticks

The recent snow storm here in New Jersey has brought about a renewed energy to cook comfort foods!I’m in my kitchen even more now than ever, since the cravings don’t seem to stop anytime soon !:) I tend to go rustic with my food preparations during this weather.The recipe I have for you is exactly that.An easy rustic dish that can be cooked and served in a karahi or kadhai.

I’ve been making Karahi Chicken since discovering it in a recipe booklet when I was in college.I’d come home during the holidays and went through this cooking phase when I was trying out different recipes every-day much to the delight of my parents :).The term Karahi means a ‘wok’ and is used in the Indian subcontinent to make various dishes. Karahi dishes originated in Afghan and Persia and have been a favorite in North Indian households and today there are varieties of both non-vegetarian and vegetarian versions of this dish.

Karahi Chicken uses freshly pounded coriander and cumin seeds that give out a distinctive aroma and flavor to the dish.I’ve used Chicken Drumsticks but you can also use boneless chicken pieces.The earthy spices in the chicken when simmered along with the onions and tomatoes creates a thick sauce that soaks the delicious flavors and is best served with Parathas or Chapatis/Roti.Pure comfort food for this weather.Enjoy!
Ingredients :
Chicken Drumsticks-1 lb
One large onion peeled and sliced
2 tsp crushed ginger
2 tsp crushed garlic
2 tomatoes pureed
Tomato paste-1 tsp
Turmeric-1/2 tsp
red chili powder or paprika-1/2 tsp
1/2 cup water
Salt to taste
Oil-4 tbsp
Karahi Masala
3 tsp coriander seeds
3 tsp cumin seeds
6 black peppercorns
2 red chilies

Instructions :
Dry roast the karahi masala spices in a pan for about a minute or two until fragrant.Grind to a coarse powder in a food processor.Keep aside.
Heat a karahi or wok, add oil.Once heated add the sliced onions. Saute until slightly golden.
Add the ginger and garlic and saute for abt a minute.
Add tomato paste,turmeric,red chili powder and half of the karahi spice and mix well on medium low heat.
Add the pureed tomatoes and let the paste cook well and oil separates from the sides.
Add the chicken followed by the rest of the spice powder.Add water and salt.
Mix well,bring to a boil, cover and cook on medium until the chicken is fully cooked.
Serve hot with paratha or roti.