Chicken Dopiaza

Serves: 4

Ingredients

1 lb chicken breast, cubed
6 small onions, halved
3 bay leaves
8 green cardamom pods
4 cloves
3 dried red chilies
8 black peppercorns
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 inch ginger, chopped
2 onions, chopped
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons vegetable oil or ghee

Directions

Heat 2 tablespoons oil and fry the halved onions until tender and translucent. Remove and keep aside. Add the remaining oil and saute the bay leaves, cardamom, cloves, chilies and peppercorns. When they crackle, add the chopped onions this time, together with the garlic and ginger, and saute for 3 minutes. Add the ground spices and salt and cook for 3 minutes. Add the water and tomatoes and simmer 5 minutes until sauce starts to thicken. Add the chicken pieces and continue to cook for 12-15 minutes. Add the reserved small halved onions and then cover and cook for a further 8-10 minutes until chicken has cooked through.

My Notes

I used 3 fresh red chilies and 3 green ones. I didn’t buy small onions so I used the insides of large onions as 'small onions' and chopped the outside bits for the chopped fried onions because whatever. 😉 That worked out OK but I think I left the heat too high when I fried the onion halves as they browned a little. This is quite flavourful but not 'hot spicy' at all. Definitely worth making again!