Chicken Amravati

Onion, peanuts and coconut shreds coat chicken strips in a South Indian style.

Serves 4-6
Marinade:
• 2 chicken breasts
• 5 onions – 2 grated and 3 sliced
• ½ cup curry leaves
• 5 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1½ tsp brown small rai (mustard seeds)
• A small piece of fresh coconut – brown skin removed and grated finely (¼ cup)
• 2 tbsp roasted peanuts – split into halves 1¼ tsp tsp salt, or to taste
• 3 tbsp lemon juice (juice of one large lemon)
• A pinch of tandoori red colour, optional
• 4 tbsp tomato puree
• Red Chilli Paste
• 4 dry Kashmiri red chillies – deseeded and soaked in warm water for 10 minutes
• 1” piece ginger
• 1 tbsp cashews, 3 tbsp curd
• 2 tbsp dhania powder
• 2-3 laung (cloves), 6-7 saboot kali mirch (peppercorns)

DIRECTIONS:

Wash the chicken. Cut breasts into thick strips. Pressure cook with 1½ cups water and ½ tsp salt and 1 tbsp Oil to give 1 whistle. Remove the cooker from heat. Keep aside. Grate 2 onions. Cut the other 3 onions into halves. Then cut each half widthwise into semi- circles to get half rings or thin strips of onion. Scrape brown skin of coconut and grate finely to get ¼ cup. Drain the soaked red chillies. Add all other ingredients of the paste and grind to a smooth paste using a little water for grinding.

Heat 5 tbsp . Add rai. Let it splutter for a minute. Add grated onions and curry leaves. Cook till onions turn light brown. Add onion slices and cook for 3-4 minutes till soft. Add peanuts and coconut and cook on low heat for 5 minutes till crisp. Keep the coconut spread out while cooking Add tomato puree, cook for a minute. Add chicken, reserving the stock, Add red chilli paste and stir fry 2-3 minute Add colour and salt. Add 1 cup chicken stock. Boil. Cover and cook on low heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add lemon juice and mix well. Serve hot.