ELIZE’s SHAHI CHICKEN
Shahi Chicken is an easy chicken korma curry made with mild spices and is cooked in a creamy paste. If you don’t like spicy chicken dishes then this curry is a wonderful choice. Unlike other chicken curries this dish has minimal spices and taste a little sweet and sour due to the curd, cashews and raisins.
You can also add some fresh cream towards the end of cooking if you prefer.
- 750 g chicken, cut into large pieces, bone in
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 pinches saffron, soaked in warm water
- 15 halved cashews, fried
- 15 raisins
- 4 – 5 tablespoons oil
- Marinade:
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ginger-garlic paste
- 125 ml whisked Curd/Yogurt
- Onion-Red Chilli Paste:
- 2 onions, quartered
- 2 dried red chillies
- 2 teaspoons Saunf (Fennel seeds)
- Powders:
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon chicken masala
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
Marinate the Chicken pieces in the marinade. Set aside for 30 min.
Soak 2 pinches of saffron in warm water. Dry roast the fennel seeds and dried red chillies in a pan on low heat for 2-3 min. Set aside to cool.
Peel and quarter the onions. To make the Onion-Red Chilli paste, add the roasted fennel seeds and red chillies in a blender/grinder and grind to a coarse powder. Add the quartered onions and blend into a smooth paste. You can add a tablespoon of water if required.
Fry the cashew nuts and raisins in oil, take out and keep in a plate for use later.
Heat oil in a kadai/pan and add the onion-red Chilli paste. Fry for 3 – 4 min on medium heat till oil separates. The colour of the paste should not become dark.
Add the marinated chicken and fry on high heat for 3 – 4 min. Lower heat and cook on low heat for around 3 – 4 min till the curd/yoghurt is cooked, oil separates and there’s a red tinge in the curry.
Add the coriander, chicken masala and garam masala powders, mix and cook on low heat for 3 – 4 min. Add the tomato paste, mix and cook on low heat for around 2 min.
Add 150 ml water, give a mix and cover, cook on low heat for 15 min till chicken is tender.
Remove lid, stir and add the 2 tablespoons of saffron water. Let it simmer for +- 2 min.
Garnish with the fried cashews and raisins. Stir and serve.
Recipe and photo: Elize de Kock
