Kolhapuri Chicken Curry

Take 3 pounds of chicken leg quarters, wash it well, and drain out all the excess water.
In a bowl, take 5 tablespoon ginger garlic paste, 1 tablespoon red chilli powder, 1 tablespoon garam masala powder, 1 tablespoon coriander powder, 1 teaspoon cumin powder, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 tablespoon kasoori methi powder, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon water or oil. Mix everything together to form a smooth marinade.
Apply the marinade to the chicken, ensuring to coat all the chicken pieces very well.
Refrigerate the marinated chicken for 4-6 hours.
When done, ensure to thaw out the chicken for at-least 20-30 minutes at room temperature, before adding it to the curry.

In a wide bottomed pan, heat up ½ cup of oil, and then add in 1 teaspoon cumin seeds.
When the cumin seeds start crackling, add in 8 cloves of garlic (roughly sliced), and saute for 2-3 minutes, till the garlic just about starts changing color and turning light red.
Then add in 2 whole chillies (broken in 2 pieces each), and lightly roast it for 30-60 seconds.
After which, it’s now time to add in and roast the whole spices.

Start with adding whole garam spices all together (1 bay leaf, 2 inch cinnamon stick, 5 green cardamom, 1 black cardamom, 7 cloves, 7 black peppercorns, and 1 mace), and lightly roast it for 1-2 minutes, till it starts giving off a light aroma.
Then add in 2 tablespoon coriander seeds, and lightly roast it for 1-2 minutes, till there is a slight change in color.
Next add in 4 tablespoon white sesame seeds, and lightly roast it for 1-2 minutes, till there is a slight deepening in color.
After which add in 2 tablespoon white poppy seeds, and lightly roast it for 1-2 minutes, till it starts slightly changing color.

Once the whole spices have been roasted well, add in 2 cups of chopped onions, and 1 teaspoon of salt to brown the onions faster, and saute till the onions turn light golden brown in color. This might take about 15-20 minutes or so, but it’s a crucial step, so best not to rush it. Using a wide pan helps speed up the process a bit.
Then add in ¾ cup chopped tomatoes, and 1 teaspoon of red chilli powder. Mix well, and saute for 5 minutes or so, till the tomatoes cook down a bit, and then turn off the flame.

Also, while you are roasting the onions and tomatoes – in another small pan on the side, dry roast ½ cup of dry desiccated coconut, till it turns light red in color. It will only take a couple of minutes to roast the coconut powder, but just ensure to do this on a low flame, and constantly stir the coconut powder around, so that it gets evenly roasted without getting burnt.
Then add the roasted coconut powder to the main roast, and mix it in. No need to switch the flame back on, just mix in the roasted coconut powder, and let the roast cool down.

When the roast has cooled down to about room temperature, transfer it all to a mixie, and grind it with 2 cups of water to make a smooth paste.

In a large heavy bottomed pan, lightly heat up 3 tablespoon oil, then to it add 1 tablespoon kashmiri chilli powder, and mix it in. Lightly roast the chilli powder for 30 seconds or so on medium low flame, ensuring that the oil is not too hot and the flame is not too high, else the chilli powder will burn.
Once the kashimiri chilli powder is lightly roasted, then add in the roasted curry paste from the mixer, 1 teaspoon of red chilli powder, the marinated chicken, and 1½ teaspoon salt, along with 4 cups of water, and mix everything together.
Cover and cook for 30-40 minutes on medium high flame, stirring intermittently, till the chicken is completely cooked.
When done, add in ½ cup of chopped coriander leaves, and mix it in.

In a small tadka pan, lightly heat up 2 tablespoon oil, and lightly roast 1 tablespoon kashmiri chilli powder in it for 30-60 seconds, on medium low flame. Tarri is ready!
Add this tarri to the cooked chicken curry, and serve hot.

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