I love adding potatoes to my meat dishes, especially curries; whether its lamb, beef or chicken, potatoes blend in so well with the overall character of the dish, adding to the taste and volume. Here I used homemade ghee/clarified butter, which obviously tasted infinitely better than the store-brought (look up here for my recipe for homemade ghee). This recipe is with minimal amount of spices yet so flavorful; serve hot with some fluffy Basmati rice, plain or flavored.

You need –

• Chicken – 750 grams
• Potato – 1 large, cut into cubes
• Dried Kashmiri chili – 8-10 nos or to taste
• Ginger- garlic paste – 1 tablespoon
• Onion – 1 large, finely sliced
• Tomato paste – 1 tablespoon
• Turmeric powder – ¼ teaspoon
• Coriander powder – 2 teaspoons
• Fresh coriander leaves – for garnishing
• Ghee – 4 tablespoons
• Salt to taste
• Whole spices –
  • Green cardamom – 3 nos
  • 1 ínch cinnamon stick

For marinating –

• Yogurt – 2 tablespoons
• Ginger-garlic paste – 1 teaspoon
• Turmeric powder – ¼ teaspoon

How to –

Wash & clean the chicken well. Cut into small pieces. Marinate the chicken for 30-60 mins with all the ingredients under “For marinating”  In a bowl, soak the dried chilies in hot water for 30 minutes. Drain and blend to a smooth paste. Set aside.

In a heavy bottom pan, heat 3 tablespoon ghee and add the whole spices. Cook till fragrant. Add  the onions and saute till translucent. Add the ginger garlic paste, chili paste and cook for further 2-3 minutes.

Add the turmeric powder, coriander powder, tomato paste and continue to sauté till the oil starts to separate.  Add the chicken pieces, potatoes, salt to taste and mix well so the chicken pieces are coated with the spice mix. Cover and cook till done over medium heat.

When done, turn the heat to high, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of ghee and roast for another couple of minutes till the mixtures is very dry; stirring continuously. Turn the heat off, garnish with fresh coriander and serve hot with ghee rice.

Notes –

• Please adjust the spices to suit your taste.
• You may add little water when cooking the chicken.
• This is a very dry preparation, so make sure you roast the chicken till the gravy has all dried up and the masala has well coated the chicken.