Asma's Achari Murgh

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Recipes extracted from Monsoon by Asma Khan (DK RED)Photography by Patricia Niven

This dish is a family favorite in my home in India. The use of pickling spices has been linked to the royal family of Bhopal, where some say the dish originated. The spices in this dish are the same as the combination of five seed spices that make up panch phoran, a mix that was heavily used in eastern India. Traditionally, panch phoran featured radhuni seeds (similar to celery seed), but they are hard to source outside Bengal. If you can source radhuni, use them to replace the black mustard seeds in the recipe below. You can also swap the chicken for red meat, if you prefer. You may need to tweak the seasoning and, of course, the cooking time. I prefer to cook this dish with chicken thighs on the bone as the bone adds flavor. If you want to make this dish with boneless chicken, please do not use chicken breast! Boneless chicken thighs will absorb the spices better and will not dry out.

Ingredients

6 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, halved and sliced into thin half-moons
¼ tsp Hariyali Fennel
¼ tsp Bindu Black Mustard
¼ tsp nigella seeds
⅛ tsp fenugreek
¼ tsp Jodhana Cumin
1 tsp garlic paste
1 tbsp ginger paste
1kg (2 ¼ lb) skinless chicken thighs on the bone
½ tsp Pragati Turmeric
1 tsp ground Nandini Coriander
¼ tsp Kashmiri Chilli powder
1kg (2 ¼ lb or 4 cups) plain yogurt
1 tsp Surya Salt, or to taste
1 fresh green chilli, slit open lengthways; plus extra, chopped, to garnish
Handful of coriander leaves, chopped, to garnish

Methods

Heat the oil in a deep, heavy-based saucepan that has a lid over high heat. Take one tip of sliced onion and dip it into the edge of the oil. The oil is hot enough when the onion starts to sizzle immediately. If the onion does not sizzle immediately, wait for a minute and try with another slice of onion. Do not use the previous onion slice for the test, add that slice to the pan with the rest of the sliced onions when the oil is at temperature.
Fry the onions until golden brown and caramelized, then remove with a slotted spoon and spread over a plate so they don’t become soggy. To the same oil, add all the seed spices at the same time. Wait until you hear the mustard seeds pop, then add the garlic and ginger pastes and stir until fragrant. If the paste is sticking to the pan, add a splash of water to deglaze the pan.
Add the chicken thighs and seal the meat all over, then add the ground turmeric, coriander, and chilli powder.
Crush the caramelized onions in a pestle and mortar (or in a bowl with the end of a rolling pin) and mix them with the yogurt, then add the mixture to the pan along with the salt, and bring to the boil.
Cover the pan and reduce to a simmer for 30 minutes. Remove the lid, add the slit chilli and continue to cook uncovered for a further 30 minutes, stirring the chicken until the sauce clings to the meat.
Taste for seasoning and adjust if required. Garnish with chopped green chillies and coriander, and serve with rice and salad.