Yogurt Coriander Masala Chicken

Ingredients:

1 Whole chicken, cut in to stew size pieces about 200gms
500 liter Water
500 ml Low fat plain yogurt
50 g Garlic, peeled
150 g Shallots, peeled
50 g Ginger,
1 tsp White pepper powder
5 tbsp Coriander powder
1 tsp Cumin powder
1/2 tsp Fennel powder
5 pod Cardamom pods
3 nos Cloves
1 stick Cinnamon
3 nos Star anise
150 ml Any low cholesterol oil
Salt to taste

Condiments:

Potatoes
Carrots
Onions
Fried shallots
Spring Onion/Green Onions

Method:

Cut the chicken into stew size pieces, pre heat a pan, sear the chicken until slightly brown and set aside.
In a grinder, pestle & mortar or food processor, grind or chop the garlic, shallots and ginger until it reaches a smooth paste. Pre heat the oil in a heavy pot and then add the ground spices, sauté until fragrant.
Then add the cardamom pods, cinnamon sticks, star anise and cloves, continuing to stir for a few minutes.
In a small bowl, add the coriander powder, fennel powder, cumin powder and the white pepper diluting the mixture with water, then add the mixture in the heavy pot with the other ingredients, sauté all the ingredients until they are fragrant.
Then add the seared chicken, carrot, potato and water. Let it come to boil and then reduce to a simmer, then add in yogurt slowly and stir continuously to avoid the yogurt from splitting, let it simmer it for at least 15 mins or until the chicken is cooked. Adjust the seasoning
Serve with steam rice or any type of Indian breads. For an other alternative, the stew can be topped on a pasta of your choice, macaroni or spaghetti being the most appropriate
Garnish with fried shallots and spring onions.

Notes:

Chef Kasdi has served his chicken with bones as in Asia they say that the meat if fresher if it is cooked right from the bone and they prefer this style of cooking and presentation. This dish can of course be prepared just as easily with boneless chicken meat using the exact same process except that the cooking process will be reduced. It is very important that after adding the yoghurt you ensure that the liquid does not boil otherwise the sauce will break or split and spoil the visual part of the dish. A nice Garlic type of Indian bread or even crispy garlic French stick would be great to be served with this dish.

Happy Cooking!