The sidewalks and the grass on the lawn was still covered in snow, as I walked our pet this morning. The air was fresh, the sidewalks slippery, a few people were walking their pets too, there was a gentle calm about the morning, the kind where poets and writers get their inspiration from , or bloggers gets their motivation to cook a special dish after the long dull winter (with no motivation), which almost is coming to an end hopefully soon. So when I got home and pulled off my gloves and winter jacket ‘chicken bhuna’ was already cooking in my mind.A kind of recipe that will warm your insides on a cold winter day, keeping you happy and content all day long and what’s more it’s quick and delicious.
The origins of the Bhuna trace back to the Bengal area of northeast India and western Bangladesh. Popular belief states that this particular method of cooking spices was originally used in the preparation of meals for wealthy Indian rulers and aristocrats. Over time, the technique then became widely used within Bengali culture, as the dish became prevalent amongst the general population.
The term Bhuna is actually the word to describe the traditional cooking technique whereby spices are fried in very hot oil, until they have formed a paste. This has since become the name of the curry itself, where meat or vegetables have been added to these fried spices and then cooked in their juices to bring out its distinguished, deep flavors. The dish “bhuna” is an extension of that process where meat is added to the spices and then cooked in its own juices which results in deep strong flavors but very little sauce.
Ingredients
3 tbsp 3 coconut oil
4 4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 1 green chilli, deseeded and chopped
2 tbsp 2 ginger, chopped
2 2 onions, diced
3 3 tomatoes chopped
1 tsp 1 garam masala
1 tsp 1 turmeric powder
2 tsp 2 chilli powder
2 tsp 2 ground cumin
2 tsp 2 ground coriander
1 tbsp 1 coriander, chopped
1/2 tsp 1/2 lemon juice
Salt to taste
Directions
- Heat the oil in a thick bottomed vessel and add the garlic, green chillies and ginger. Mix them for a minute in hot oil then add the chopped onions. Stir and leave to cook over a medium heat for 3-4 minutes.
- Once the onions have turned a golden brown color, add the turmeric, chilli, cumin, coriander and garam masala powders. Stir and cook for about a minute.
- Add the chopped tomatoes with salt to taste. Stir together, cover the pan and allow it to come to a boil. Stir occasionally until the masala becomes nice and thick.
- Add the chicken to the pan and coat the pieces in the masala so it’s all nicely covered. Cook over a medium heat, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and combined with the thick masala sauce.
- Stir in the lemon juice to add a little zing and garnish with coriander leaves to serve.
- Enjoy it with hot chapatis, naan/Indian Flat bread or Ghee rice.
Maya , simple yet an appetising recipe….love your narration…it adds to the taste of the Chicken curry….spicy chicken curry is the best remedy to beat the biting cold weather….it’s a pleasure to read your write ups….waiting for the next one.
Thank you, Chethana, for stopping by and sharing your kind thoughts, so appreciate it. Yes, it turned out yummy and I had amped up that spice quotient a bit too, to beat the cold 😀