Chicken Barra (Mughlai Cuisine)

I found this recipe online and could not resist myself from trying it. This dish is rich in ingredients as it originates from Mughlai Cuisine. Mughlai cuisine is a combination of Central Asia and Iranian cuisine. There is strong influence of Turkey and Persian cuisine of Central Asia from where the Mughal emperors originally hailed from. As Mughal Emperors were widespread throughout Afghanistan, Northern India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, the regional cuisines were influenced as well. Along with number of other dishes that we have passed on such as Biryani, Kababs, Paaya Ghost etc, this too is one of them.

I have done few changes to the steps and have tried included my touch to the dish as well. 

Ingredients:

1 Whole Chicken

1 cup Cashew Paste

1 cup beaten Yogurt (Curd)

1 cup Onion sliced

2 tablespoon Tomato Paste (Ready made paste from supermarket)

1 tablespoon Garam Masala Powder

1 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste

1/2 inch cinnamon stick

1 tsp Chaat Masala

1 tsp Kasuri Methi

1 tsp Black Pepper Powder

2-3 chopped green chilies (Optional if kids will be eating it)

Coriander for garnish

1 tsp Cream (dressing)

Salt to Taste

Oil/ghee/butter to cook

Marination:

3 tbsp Red Chili Powder

2 tablespoon Ginger Garlic Paste

1 tsp Turmeric Powder

1/2 cup Fried Onions 

2 tbsp Lemon Juice

1 cup Coriander chopped

Salt to taste

Smoke Effect:

1 small steel bowl

1 stone of coal

1 tsp Ghee

Method:

Clean chicken thoroughly and pat it dry with a paper towel.

In a mixing bowl add the chicken and to it add all the ingredients mentioned in marination. Mix all ingredients well and let it rest aside for 4 hours max or 30 mins minimum.

In a heavy bottom vessel, add 3 tbsp of oil/ghee/butter and let it heat for 2 mins on medium flame. To it add sliced onions and 1/2 inch cinnamon stick.

Let the onion cook on low flame until they turn golden brown. We do not want to burn the onions so do keep checking in intervals.

Once the onion turn golden brown add 1 tsp ginger garlic paste and mix it well. Do not add more than mentioned quantity, as chicken is already marinated with enough quantity. We do not want to the paste to overpower the dish.

Add marinated chicken to the pot and give the ingredients a good mix. Cover the pot and let the chicken cook for good 15 minutes on medium flame.

After 15 mins uncover the pot and give the dish a good stir to make sure it is not burnt at the bottom of the pan.

At this point lower the flame and add tomato paste and mix the chicken well. The paste needs to coat the chicken well.

Add Cashew Paste to the pot and mix it well. Keep the flame low and let the dish cook for another 10 -12 mins.

At this point I added 1/2 cup water to the pot and mixed it well.

Let the gravy cook for another 10 mins until you see the oil at the edges.

Once you notice oil at the edges, add beaten yogurt and mix the gravy well.

In the same bowl as the beaten yogurt, add 1/2 cup water and add it to the pot.

Cover the pot and let the ingredients assimilate together for another 10 mins on lower flame.

At this point we just need the newly added ingredients to cook and assimilate well with chicken. Chicken is already cooked hence we need to keep the flame low.

You can taste the dish and adjust the salt as per your taste buds.

Add chopped green chilies, chaat masala, black pepper powder and kasuri methi to the dish.

The dish is ready if you do not have the coal. For smokey effect, lower the flame and place a steel bowl in center of the pot. Add heated piece of a coal in the steel bowl and add 1 tbsp ghee to it and cover the pot with the lid.

Turn off the flame and let the dish rest for 5-10 mins with the smoke of coal assimilating into the dish to give it a smokey taste.

Remove the lid and remove the steel bowl with the help of tongs. Add chopped coriander and 1 tsp of Cream for dressing.

Serve hot with Tandoori Roti or Rice