Prep20 min
Cook45 min
Total65 min
Serves4
Difficultymoderate
Allergens: none of the common ones
Ingredients
Quantities for 4.
- 800g bone-in, cut into curry pieces Chickenbone-in only; boneless breast has nothing to give this gravy
- 3 medium, finely sliced Onion
- 2 medium, chopped Tomato
- 3cm piece Gingerpounded with the garlic to a coarse paste
- 10 cloves Garlic
- 4, slit Green Chilli
- 2.5 tsp Chilli PowderGuntur chilli powder; drop to 1.5 tsp if that is more heat than you want
- 1.5 tbsp Coriander Powder
- 3/4 tsp Turmeric
- 1 tsp, coarsely crushed Black Pepper
- 1 tsp Garam Masalaadded at the end
- 4 Cloves
- 2cm stick Cinnamon
- 1 Bay Leafoptional
- 1 tbsp Poppy Seedsground with 3 tbsp water to a smooth paste; thickens the gravy the Andhra wayoptional
- 2 sprigs Curry Leaves
- 5 tbsp Groundnut Oil
- a handful, chopped Coriander Leavesoptional
- 1.5 tsp, or to taste Salt
- 400ml Water
Equipment
stovetop, kadhai
Before you start
- Rub the chicken with 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp of the chilli powder and leave it 30 minutes at room temperature.
- Pound the ginger and garlic together in a mortar rather than blitzing them — the coarse paste browns better and does not go watery.
- Soak the poppy seeds in warm water for 20 minutes before grinding, or they stay gritty.
Method
- Heat the oil in a kadhai until it shimmers, add the cloves, cinnamon and bay leaf and let them swell for 30 seconds.
- Add the sliced onion with a pinch of salt and fry over medium heat for 14 to 16 minutes, until deep brown at the edges and shrunk to a third of the volume.This is the backbone of the curry and the one step you cannot shorten. Pale onion means a thin, sharp gravy.
- Stir in the ginger-garlic paste, green chillies and curry leaves and cook 3 minutes until the raw garlic smell has gone completely.
- Add the tomato and cook 6 minutes, pressing it against the pan, until it breaks down and the mixture pulls together.
- Add the chilli powder, coriander powder, remaining turmeric and crushed pepper and fry 2 minutes over low heat with a splash of water so the spices do not catch.Powdered spices burn in about 40 seconds on a dry hot pan. The splash of water is your insurance.
- Tip in the marinated chicken and turn it in the masala over high heat for 8 minutes, until every piece is coated and the edges have seized and browned.
- Stir in the poppy seed paste and the salt, then pour in 400ml water and bring to a boil.
- Lower the heat, cover, and simmer 20 minutes, until the chicken is tender and a thigh piece comes off the bone easily.
- Uncover and cook 8 minutes more on medium heat, until the gravy clings to the chicken and a slick of red oil rises to the top.The oil separating is when it is done. Serve it before that and it tastes unfinished.
- Sprinkle over the garam masala and coriander leaves, cover, and rest 5 minutes off the heat.
Storage
Keeps 3 days refrigerated and is better on day two. Freezes for 2 months. Reheat over low heat with 3 tbsp water, stirring gently so the chicken does not shred.
Recipe v1.0.0, last updated 2026-07-31. Curated for Khaana and kept under version control.