Methi Chicken

Chicken - 1 ½ lb cut into medium sized pieces
Onions - 3 finely chopped
Cooking oil - 4 to 5 tbsps
Jeera (Shahi Black cumin seeds) - 1 tsp
Curry Leaves (Fresh 10-12 leaves or Bay Leaves)
Salt to taste
Ginger – 5 cubes
Garlic – 3 Cubes
Ajwain - ½ tsp
Tumeric - 1 tbsp
Madras Curry Powder – 1 ½
Lemon Juice – 3 tbsps
Tomatoes (finely chopped / Pureed) or 1 tin
Tomato Puree – 1 ½ tbsp
Coriander (Fresh) Leaves - 1 ½ tsp for Garnish
Water - 1 cup (add more if required)
Yoghurt - 2 tbsp yoghurt
Methi leaves (Fresh) (fenugreek leaves) - 2 cups tightly packed (roughly chopped)
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp (Optional)
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp (Optional) or the following
Cardamoms – Large Black – 3 Pods
Cardamoms – 3 Pods
Cinnamon Sticks – 3 1inch
Aniseed (Star) – 2 Pods
Pepper Corns (Whole) – 5 Corns

Method:
In a wide Non-stick bottomed vessel, heat oil. On low heat, add Jeera, Ajwain, Cardmoms, Cinnamon, Aniseed and Pepercorns, and fry for a few seconds. Add curry leaves, toss them and then add Onions and increase the flame to medium and fry till the onions turn golden brown. Add ginger & garlic paste and fry until the raw small disappears. Add Salt, Tumeric, Curry Powder and mix well. Add chicken, mix well, cover and cook for 4-5 mins stirring in between. Add Tomatoes and Tomato paste, Yoghurt and cook until the gravy begins to thicken, at this stage add water if required. Add Methi leaves and and gently mix and cook for 15-2- mins on slow fire and at this stage the oil begins to seperate from the gravy confirms the dish is ready. Garnish with Coriander and serve hot with steamed basmati Rice, Rotis or Naan.
Enjoy.

Chef’s Tip: This is a popular Hyderabadi dish, known as Murgh Methi aka Methi chicken). Protein enriched chicken cooked with fresh Methi leaves that are rich in calcium, potassium and iron!