Chicken Changezi

Place the chicken pieces in a bowl. Add salt, Kashmiri red chilli powder, ginger garlic paste, lemon juice, and oil. Mix well and set aside to marinate for 20 minutes.

Add curd to the marinated chicken. Mix well and let it rest for another 10-15 minutes.

Soak the almonds in hot water for 8-10 minutes, then peel them and set aside.

Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a large frying pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken and cook until the chicken pieces turn brown and are almost done (90%). Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

In the same frying pan or wok, heat 1 tbsp of oil over medium-high heat. Add sliced onions and peeled almonds, stirring for a few minutes or until slightly golden brown. Remove from the oil, let them cool, and then grind into a fine paste, adding a little water if necessary.

Heat the remaining oil in the frying pan over medium-high heat. Add ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute.

Add the pureed tomatoes, red chilli powder, milk, garam masala, coriander powder, and cumin powder. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the cream, chaat masala, and the onion-almond paste and salt to taste. Cook on medium-high heat until oil starts to separate from the mixture.

Add the cooked chicken pieces, kasuri methi, green chillies, and water. Mix well. Cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes until the oil surfaces.

For a smoked flavour (optional): Heat a small piece of coal until red hot. Place a small bowl in the centre of the chicken in the wok. Add the hot coal to the bowl, drizzle with 1 tsp of ghee or oil, and immediately cover the wok to trap the smoke. Let it rest for 3-4 minutes, then remove the bowl of coal.

Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot with naan or roti.