Chicken Curry with Roasted whole spices

I have a vegetarian family member who doesn't eat chicken or fish. Yesterday, he showed a picture of a chicken curry from a FB group and told ,  ' Look at his curry, my mouth watering. It looks super delicious. Why don't you try this curry tomorrow'. First thing in the morning, I searched for the chicken curry post and for the recipe. This wonderful person posted recipe for chicken curry with whole spices and few tips for giving the curry a nice color. Her tip was 'Use 1 Teaspoon Sugar'. I was very hesitant about adding sugar to a spicy chicken gravy. But decided to follow her instructions. Believe me, sugar gives nice caramelized flavour to the spicy gravy. This is the very first time I made a gravy with roasted whole spices, I was very happy with the outcome. Gravy tastes finger licking good, delicious and very very Rich !

Recipe Source : Komal Shaw on Cal ( Thank you very much Komal Shaw for a delicious chicken curry recipe )

Ingredients

To Marinate

• 4 Chicken Leg pieces without Skin
• 1/2 Teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
• 1/4 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
• 1/4 Teaspoon Lemon Juice
• Salt to taste

Roasted Whole Spice Paste

• 1/4 Teaspoon Fennel Seeds
• 1 Tablespoon Coriander Seeds
• 2 Cloves
• 2 Whole Red Chillies
• 1 Teaspoon Whole black pepper corns
• 1/2 Inch long Cinnamon Stick
• 2 Green Cardamoms
• 1 Black Cardamom

For the Gravy

• 2 Tablespoon Oil
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 1 Whole Red Chilli
• 1 Medium Onion Sliced
• 1 Teaspoon Sugar
• 1 Teaspoon Ginger Garlic Paste
• 2 Tablespoon Tomato Puree
• 2 Cups water
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 Teaspoon Garam Masala
• 1 Teaspoon Ghee / Clarified Butter ( Optional)
• 1 Teaspoon Chopped cilantro leaves for garnish

Directions

1. Marinate chicken with all the ingredients listed under marinate for atleast 1 hour. I marinated chicken for 3 hours in refrigerator

                               


2. Dry roast all the ingredients listed under 'Roasted whole spice paste' on low flame until you smell  nice aroma of the spices and the coriander seeds turn light golden. Cool the mixture completely and grind it to fine paste along with 2 tablespoon water

                              

                             



3. In a pan, heat oil. When the oil is hot, add bay leaves, whole red chilli and fry for 10 seconds

4. Add onions and fry until the onions are soft

                           


5. Add sugar and fry until onions turn light golden

6. Add ginger garlic paste and fry until the oil separates from the mixture

7. Add tomato puree and fry for 2 minutes

8. Add the whole spices paste we prepared at step number 2 and fry nicely until the mixture is thick and oil is bubbling out of the mixture

9. Add marinated chicken pieces along with 2 cups of water and salt

10. Cook on medium flame until the chicken is cooked through - it took 20 minutes for me to cook the chicken

                              


11. Switch off the flame. Add ghee and garnish with cilantro leaves

12. Serve hot with roti / naan / steamed rice