Ingredients:
- 1 kg chicken with bones, cut into bite sized pieces
- 1 1/2 tbsps ginger garlic paste
- 1 1/2 tbsps red chilli pwd
- 1/2 tsp turmeric pwd
- juice of 3 lemons, heat for 3 mt and cool
- 1 1/2 – 2 tbsps salt (adjust)
- 4 tbsps oil
- 3 tbsps coriander seeds/dhaniyalu
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds/jeera
- 1 tbsp poppy seeds/khus-khus/ghasagasalu
- 1 1/2 tsps methi seeds/methulu/fenugreek seeds
- 6 cloves
- 2″ cinnamon stick
- 1 elaichi/cardamom
- 1 star anise
- Pinch of methi seeds
- 30 fresh curry leaves
- 3-4 dry red chillis
- 15 cloves garlic, slightly crushed
- 3/4 cup oil
- 1 Dry roast all the spices individually over low heat and cool. Once cool, combine all the dry roasted ingredients and grind to a fine powder.
- Heat 4 tbsps oil in a heavy bottomed vessel, add chicken, ginger garlic paste, red chilli pwd and salt and cook on high heat for 5 mts.
- Reduce heat to medium high and continue to cook till the oil separates and there is hardly any water content. This frying will take about 25 mts.
- This step is crucial to chicken pickle making. Keep stirring in between.
- Heat 3/4 cup oil in another heavy bottomed vessel, add methi seeds, curry leaves, dry red chillis, crushed garlic and saute for a minute.
- Add the cooked chicken pieces along with any left over gravy and oil. Combine well.
- Add the ground spice powder and combine well and cook on medium to high for 15-18 mts, stirring in between.
- Add the cooled lemon juice and combine well and turn off heat. Cool and store in an airtight bottle and refrigerate.