Chicken Curry

With drought in my mouth, storm brewing in my stomach, whenever I knocked on Grandma’s door, uninvited, she would greet me with a spatula in hand wearing a full blown smile. Smile like a brightly blazed flaming flower. A Sunflower.

Crimson colored oil drops dripping down her spatula. Drops like the Daffodils gone wild in the hills in a sizzling summer noon.

I loved sniffing the scent of passion, promises of Ruby red chicken curry. A truly treasured, real, rural, authentic, esthetic lunch dish. The treasure still holds my soul captive.

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Grandma knew how to make a dish jazziest, how to make a soul happiest and how to be friendliest. She found soul and solace in sharing home cooked lunch every single day with whoever walked past her yard.

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Recipe

Ingredients:

2 pounds skinless cut-up chicken

½ cup plain yogurt

1 Tablespoon ginger paste

1 Teaspoon garlic paste

Pinch of turmeric

1/2 tablespoon Kashmiri red chili powder. (It gives color. Not heat)

1 cup finely chopped onion

1 stick Cinnamon, 3 cardamoms, 3 cloves

½ cup water

1/2 cup Ghee or olive oil

Salt to taste

4-5 whole green chili peppers. ( For a little heat and aroma)

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

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Method:

Marinate cleaned, washed chicken with yogurt for about 30 minutes. This will eliminate raw odor and add succulence to the meat.

In a wide heavy-bottomed pot, heat ghee/oil over medium-high heat. Cook onions for 5 minutes.

When onions looking soft and light brown, add cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves. ( You may discard those before serving)

In a few seconds add water to prevent spices from burning. Now add garlic, ginger, turmeric and chili powder. Keep stirring for 5-8 minutes. Or until gravy separates from oil. Add meat. Coat the pieces well with gravy.

Add salt and green chili peppers. Adjust heat to a gentle simmer, cover and cook for about 20-30 minutes, until chicken is tender and gravy thickens.

 Sprinkle with sugar and lemon juice to serve.

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Let your senses explore the depth of hot & sweet curry with steamed rice and fresh garden salad.

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Old age crushed Grandma’s memory. Everybody is nameless to her. To her every face is like a frame-less portrait hung in an empty, hollow hallway. The Empress of the lotus covered linen lake house now is a weathered face. Her emerald eyes lost sight. Her senses are now unable to catch summer breeze or winter chills. But her open invitation for lunch to every passers-by would swirl and curl around their hearts like flowers and foliage painted in an ancient lighthouse tomb.

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 Category: Bangladeshi, Chicken, Curry, Lunch/Dinner, Meat      Tagged:

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