Hot 'n' Sweet Chicken

When you talk about curried chicken, the recipes are endless with the option to mix various ingredients that result in completely different tastes. This is a tomato puree base curry inspired by the butter chicken recipe.  Since it was just a normal day, the extra fat content that can come with the use of butter and the sautéing of chicken in oil was a no-no. Yet, the craving for some gravy and a different taste ended up in a mix & match of ingredients with some herbs,..........and the outcome was a hot & sweet taste. 

the recipe

Chicken, cleaned & cut – 1200 gms

Ginger Garlic paste prepared from 12 – 15 cloves garlic and 3 cm piece ginger)

Lime – 1

Garam Masala – ½ + ½ tsp

Chilly powder – 2 ½ - 3 tsp

Pepper powder – ½ + ½ tsp

Turmeric – 3/4 tsp

Onion, chopped and pounded – 2

Tomato puree – from 2 tomatoes

Cream / Coconut Cream – ¼ cup

Mint leaves (optional) -1/4 cup

Coriander leaves – ¼ cup

Salt – to taste

Oil – 2 tbsp

Marinate the chicken pieces with 1/3 of ginger garlic paste, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper powder, ½ tsp garam masala and the juice from 1 lime for about an hour. Marination gives a soft texture to the meat.

Heat oil, stir in the onion till translucent and add the 2/3 ginger garlic paste. Saute for about 2 minutes and add the turmeric, chilly powder, ½ tsp pepper powder and ½ tsp garam masala. When lightly fried pour the tomato puree and bring it to a boil. Stir in the marinated chicken and mint leaves. Mix well and cook till almost done. Add salt if needed and pour the cream. Stir in the coriander leaves and mix. Serve as preferred.