Chicken Kasha

The special Oriya Sunday meals is essentially inclusive of a non-vegetarian delight. I remember almost all Sundays at home meant the yummy chicken curry for lunch. But, today I would be sharing the beloved recipe of “Chicken Kasha” which is a comparatively drier and richer version of the regular Oriya chicken curry.  

As my family was fonder of the gravy part, the chicken curry was mostly prepared. But I too had my fair encounters with “Chicken kasha” at relatives’ places. My recent memories of “Chicken Kasha” was that of one that was prepared by my cook. Yes, my hubby had hired a cook as he never wished to over burden me with cooking. Moreover, I was kind of zero in cooking then. I do know men who are obsessed with the idea of their wives cooking for them. But I have been lucky as my hubby never viewed cooking as something of an indispensable quality in his wife.  He always gave me freedom to choose. So I chose to learn to cook. But yes, I was never pressurized to get into it. I cook because I love food and I love him. That’s it!!

From all the varieties of “Chicken Kasha” I have tasted, I have developed my own recipe. So here it goes:

Chicken Kasha Recipe

Serves : 5 to 6 persons

Ingredients:

Chicken – 1 kg

Onion (medium) - 6

Tomatoes (small)- 4

Coriander powder- 2tbsp

Cumin powder- 2tsp

Oriya garam masala- 1 tsp

Coriander leaves- 1 tbsp. (finely chopped)

Oil- 3 tbsp.

Sugar- 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Ingredients for tempering:

Cinnamon- 1’’ sticks

Green cardamom- 4

Cloves- 6

Bay leaf- 2

Marinate chicken with the following ingredients:

Thick yogurt- 1 cup

Turmeric powder- 1tsp

Red chili powder- 1 tbsp.

Ginger garlic paste- 1 tbsp.

Procedure:

 Wash the chicken well and marinate with the above mentioned ingredients for 1 hour. Taken kadhai, pour in oil and sugar. Once the oil is hot, goes in the ingredients for tempering and then the thinly sliced onions. After it turns translucent goes in the tomatoes and powdered masalas- coriander and cumin. Cover and cook for 3 minutes and finally add the chicken and salt. Fry the chicken well mixing in with the onion-tomato mixture on high heat. Once the chicken has browned lightly, pour the reserve marinade and reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking with the lid covered. Avoid adding any extra water and let the chicken cook in its own juice and that of yogurt. It may take around 45 minutes for the chicken to be done. After that garnish it with coriander leaves and my version of oriya garam masala.

“Chicken Kasha” is best served with paranthas and plain rice with dal.

Notes:

My version of oriya garam masala- take equal quantites of cinnamon, cardamom and cloves. Dry roast it and then ground it into a smooth powder.

If you desire some gravy, you may add 1 cup of water while you add chicken.