Indian Village Chicken Curry

Ingredients

• For the chicken marinade:
• 2 tablespoons ginger-garlic paste
• 1/2 tablespoon turmeric powder
• Salt
• 2 tablespoons red chili powder, divided
• 1 pound bone-in chicken, cut into medium pieces
• For the spice paste:
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 6 dry Kashmiri chilies
• 5 peppercorns
• 1/2-inch stick cinnamon
• 3 cloves
• 2 tablespoons fresh grated coconut
• 1 cup water
• For the curry:
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 slit green chilies
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• Fluffy white rice, for serving

Directions

1. For the chicken, combine the ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder, salt, and 1 tablespoon of the red chili powder. Rub the mixture over the chicken, then let it sit while you get the spice paste and curry started.
2. For the spice paste, warm a cast iron skillet until it begins to smoke, then reduce the heat. Add the sesame seeds, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, Kashmiri chilies, peppercorns, cinnamon stick, and cloves, and toast them for about 15 seconds, stirring the whole time, just until they smell fragrant. Move them aside to cool.
3. When the toasted spices are cool, put them in an immersion blender cup or countertop blender with the coconut and 3 tablespoons (45ml) water. Blend until you have a smooth paste, then set it aside.
4. For the curry, heat the oil in a lidded saucepan with a heavy base until it shimmers, then lower the heat. Add the green chilies and bay leaves, and stir for about 15 seconds, until fragrant. Add the onion and continue stirring for about 5 minutes, until softened but not browned.
5. Add the spice paste and cook, stirring, until it smells fragrant and a layer of oil rises to the surface, about 10 minutes. Add the marinated chicken pieces and stir for about 5 minutes, until the chicken is coated with the spice mixture. Pour in the remaining water to loosen the curry into more of a gravy.
6. Add salt to taste, stir 1 time, and cover the pot. Set the heat to medium. Cook for about 15 minutes, or until the chicken is tender. Remove the lid, stir, and serve hot with fluffy white rice.