Chicken Pudina – an exotic blend of succulent chicken pieces slow cooked in a mildly spiced mint (pudina) gravy. Pair it with Naan or Parathas for a sumptuous meal!
Ingredients
For Marination
- 1kgChicken (curry cut pieces)
- 1cupThick Curd
- 1/4tspMace Powder
- 1/4tspNutmeg Powder
- 1tspRed Chilli Powder
- 1tspTurmeric Powder
- 1tbspKashmiri Red Chilli Powder
- 1tbspSalt
For Gravy
- 4tbspCooking Oil
- 2Bay Leaves
- 4Green Cardamoms
- 2Black Cardamoms
- 5Cloves
- 1Cinnamon Stick
- 12Black Peppercorns (whole)
- 2Medium Onions (finely chopped)
- 2Green Chillies (finely chopped)
- 1tbspGinger-Garlic Paste
- 1cupWater
- 3tbspTomato Puree
- 2tbspDry Mint Powder
- 1tspGaram Masala
How to make Chicken Pudina
For Marination
Whisk curd in a mixing bowl and add red chilli powder, kashmiri red chilli powder, turmeric, nutmeg powder, mace powder and salt.
Coat the chicken pieces with the paste, cover the bowl with a lid, and let it sit for an hour. (You can keep it overnight to let the flavours develop more).
For Gravy
Heat oil in a large heavy-bottomed deep saucepan over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add bay leaves, green cardamoms, black cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon sticks and black peppercorns. Let them crackle.
Add ginger -garlic paste and stir for a few seconds.
Add onions and green chillies to the pan. Cook on high heat until the onions are pinkish in colour.
Add the marinated chicken and mix nicely. Stir occasionally and cook on high flame for 8-10 minutes.
Once the chicken pieces have lightened in colour, add water, stir and wait for a boil. Lower the heat to medium, cover the pot and cook for 15 minutes.
Add the tomato puree to the pan and let it simmer and cook until the chicken is done and oil releases to the surface. Stir occasionally.
Add the mint powder to the gravy and mix it for a minute. Then, turn off the flame.
Sprinkle garam masala over the chicken and let it rest for a few minutes.
Serve hot with tandoori roti, naan or paratha.
Tips & Tricks
You can easily substitute ginger-garlic paste with fresh chopped ginger (1 inch piece) and chopped garlic (6 cloves).
I recommend marinating the chicken overnight for better flavours.
Instead of using tomato puree, you can chop 2 fresh tomatoes and use them in the same way.
Kashmiri red chilli powder offers a much milder taste than regular red chilli powder. It also adds a hint of smoky flavour and vibrant red colour to the food when added. On the other hand, regular red chilli powder is used to increase the hotness of the dish it is added to. A mixture of smoked or simple paprika with a little bit of cayenne can be used as a substitute for Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder.
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Leena Kohli
(@leenakohli)
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