Murgh Lajawab / Chicken Lajawab

I was drawn towards this particular chicken curry because of its simplicity in ingredients and method of cooking. It does not come with a long list of spices or any kind of nuts paste...yet, in the end this chicken curry is packed with so much flavour that its quite hard to digest the fact that so less ingredients were called in to prepare this curry.

At one point it appeared to me as chicken karahi...but then chicken karahi is very spicy, whereas Chicken Lajawab is mild and tangy from the use of tomatoes. It’s a bit different but at the same time...very inviting.

Heat oil / ghee and temper it with whole garam masalas, Then add the chopped onions to them.

Add the chicken and cook until they change colour.

Add salt and powdered spices.

Mix and cook them until the raw smell of the spices go away and the oil starts separating.

Add the tomato puree.

Cook until the tomato is cooked and oil starts to ooze out.

Add water and cook until the chicken pieces are almost cooked.

Stir in the ground black pepper and saffron soaked milk/cream.

Cook until the gravy is thick and the oil starts to float on top of the curry.

All you need is some whole garam masalas...and you can make this beautiful curry in no time.

Murgh Lajawab / Chicken Lajawab

Serves 4-5

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Ingredients:

1 kg chicken on bone – cut into medium thick pieces

2 onions – chopped

5-6 ripe tomatoes – pureed

5 fat cloves of garlic – minced / paste

1 inch stick of ginger – minced / paste

2 cinnamon sticks

3-4 cloves

4 green cardamoms

2 bay leaves

1 tsp ground fresh black peppercorns

2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tbsp red chilli powder

Salt

Some saffron strands soaked in ¼ th cup of warm milk / cream

A handful of fresh coriander leaves – chopped

Method:

Heat the ghee / oil and temper it with cinnamon sticks, green cardamoms, cloves and bay leaves.

Sauté them for half a minute and then add onions to them.

Fry the onions until they turn golden brown.

Next add the chicken and cook them until they turn a little golden from both the sides.

Now sprinkle some salt over them and add in the ginger – garlic paste.

Mix and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the raw garlic flavour is gone.

Add the powdered spices to the chicken i.e. turmeric powder and red chilli powder and mix well.

Cook for 2 minutes or until the spices are well cooked and oil has started to separate at the edges.

Pour in the tomato puree over the chicken and let them cook.

Stir occasionally to prevent the chicken pieces to stick to the bottom of the pan.

Cook in this manner for 5-10 minutes or until the tomato has started ooze out oil.

Now add 2 cups of water to the chicken. Give a good stir and put cover.

Cook the chicken until they are soft from inside. It will take around 15-25 minutes depending on the quality of chicken you are using.

When the chicken is almost cooked, put off the lid and let the curry thicken.

Sprinkle the ground black pepper over the curry and pour in the saffron soaked milk / cream.

Stir and cook till the oil starts to appear at the surface of the curry and the chicken is cooked and soft from inside.

Taste and adjust the seasonings.

Put off the flame and sprinkle chopped coriander leaves over them.

Serve hot with chapatti or rice.