Murgh Musallam (Indian Stewed Spiced Chicken)

Instructions

Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and wash them well. Marinate the chicken with the first group of ingredients (ginger-garlic paste, lemon juice, chile, pepper, turmeric and salt) for 1 to 4 hours.

Dry roast the whole spices, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves, nutmeg and mace, in a pan until light brown and fragrant. Let them cool, then grind to a coarse powder.

Soak the almonds and cashews in water for 10 to 15 minutes, then peel the almonds. Grind the nuts to a smooth paste, adding 1 to 2 tbsp water only if needed.

Heat 2 to 3 tsp oil in a pan or wok and sauté the chopped onions until golden brown. Let them cool and grind to a paste, using as little water as you can.

Heat the oil or ghee in a clean pan. Add the onion paste, green chiles and the second measure of ginger-garlic paste, and sauté until the onion paste separates from the oil.

Add the marinated chicken and mix well. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring now and then.

Stir in the red chile powder, the ground spice blend and the tomato purée. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until oil rises to the surface.

Pour in the water and cook over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Mix in the nut paste, mint and salt, and cook until the gravy is thick and oil floats on top again.

Take the pan off the heat and stir in the coriander leaves before serving.