This is a recipe from Hyderabad, where a pocket of Moghlai cuisine with South Indian overtones has resulted in a unique style known as Hyderabadi cuisine. Nigella and fenugreek seeds are used extensively in spicy oil-based pickles, hence the name. This dish is best served with simple dal and rice, and accompanied by a raita or a lightly seasoned vegetable.
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I served this with rice, green beans and naan. This has been, by far, the hottest dish I have made so far. My g/f can usually handle the same heat level as me, but it was simply too much for her. The top of her mouth went numb and caused her lips to tingle. My brother tried it and didn't think it was too bad. Mom thought she would try a small nickle sized piece and had to spit it out
.
Although the recipe calls for 12 skinless bone-in chicken thighs (or thighs and drumsticks) I cut the recipe in half and subbed in boneless skinless thighs. The recipe is presented here as it originally appears in the book.
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Ingredients:
12 skinless bone-in chicken thighs (or thighs and drumsticks)
4 tsp coriander seeds
2 TBSP cumin seeds, divided
2 TBSP ginger paste (you can puree your own from fresh ginger root if you can't find the paste)
2 TBSP garlic paste (use a press if you can't find the paste. Minced garlic will work as well)
2 TBSP cayenne pepper
10 green chilies, preferably serrano's, cut in half lengthwise (feel free to sub in your own peppers if you want it hotter)
5-6 sprigs fresh curry leaves, stripped (about 60-70 leaves)**
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice
2 tsp. salt, or to taste
3 TBSP oil (your choice, I used Olive oil)
2 tsp. dark mustard seeds
10 dried Indian red chilies
2 tsp. fenugreek seeds ***
1 tsp. nigella seeds (onion seeds)
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Preparation:
1. Rinse chicken and pat dry. Place in a nonreactive sauce pan
2. Grind coriander and 2 tsp of the cumin to a powder in a spice grinder (I use a blade coffee bean grinder) and transfer to a bowl. Mix in ginger, garlic cayenne, green chilies curry leaves, lime juice and salt. Add chicken and mix well. Cover and marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature.
3. In a small saucepan, heat oil over high heat until a couple of mustard seeds thrown in start to sputter. Add all the mustard seeds and COVER QUICKLY! When they stop popping, in a few seconds, uncover, reduce heat to medium and add red chilies and remaining cumin seeds. Saute' for 30 seconds. Add fenugreek and nigella seeds and saute' for 10 seconds.
4. Add the chicken and cover immediately ****. Place saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink inside, about 45 minutes. Adjust heat to allow chicken to cook without additional liquid. When cooked, chicken should be enveloped in the thick spice mixture (masala) and there should be no liquid left.
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** if you can't find fresh curry leaves in your neck of the woods (I couldn't), omit them. Dried curry leaves will give it a bitter flavor.
*** Fenugreek seeds are commonly found at Indian stores, but I also found these at a health food store. They have a number of medicinal properties in addition to being used to increase the amounts of breast milk. In fact, one study found fenugreek to increase the amount of breast milk by 900%. No that's not a typo. 900%
.
**** I had covered the chicken for a portion of time, but I had to remove the lid and allow the moisture to escape so the chicken wouldn't be overdone. Keep an eye on it and use your own judgment.
TIP: The whole dried red chilies are to flavor the oil and should not be eaten. If you prefer, remove the chilies before serving.
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This is what it should look like when you are done.
I placed a few of the chili peppers on the chicken for appearances sake as presentation is part of the eating experience. Food is something that should be enjoyed and never shoved into your face like your loading a musket. I had two green serranos, one orange/red serrano and a dried Red Indian chili (they turn black when cooked).
Neil
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I served this with rice, green beans and naan. This has been, by far, the hottest dish I have made so far. My g/f can usually handle the same heat level as me, but it was simply too much for her. The top of her mouth went numb and caused her lips to tingle. My brother tried it and didn't think it was too bad. Mom thought she would try a small nickle sized piece and had to spit it out
.Although the recipe calls for 12 skinless bone-in chicken thighs (or thighs and drumsticks) I cut the recipe in half and subbed in boneless skinless thighs. The recipe is presented here as it originally appears in the book.
--------------
Ingredients:
12 skinless bone-in chicken thighs (or thighs and drumsticks)
4 tsp coriander seeds
2 TBSP cumin seeds, divided
2 TBSP ginger paste (you can puree your own from fresh ginger root if you can't find the paste)
2 TBSP garlic paste (use a press if you can't find the paste. Minced garlic will work as well)
2 TBSP cayenne pepper
10 green chilies, preferably serrano's, cut in half lengthwise (feel free to sub in your own peppers if you want it hotter)
5-6 sprigs fresh curry leaves, stripped (about 60-70 leaves)**
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice
2 tsp. salt, or to taste
3 TBSP oil (your choice, I used Olive oil)
2 tsp. dark mustard seeds
10 dried Indian red chilies
2 tsp. fenugreek seeds ***
1 tsp. nigella seeds (onion seeds)
------------
Preparation:
1. Rinse chicken and pat dry. Place in a nonreactive sauce pan
2. Grind coriander and 2 tsp of the cumin to a powder in a spice grinder (I use a blade coffee bean grinder) and transfer to a bowl. Mix in ginger, garlic cayenne, green chilies curry leaves, lime juice and salt. Add chicken and mix well. Cover and marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature.
3. In a small saucepan, heat oil over high heat until a couple of mustard seeds thrown in start to sputter. Add all the mustard seeds and COVER QUICKLY! When they stop popping, in a few seconds, uncover, reduce heat to medium and add red chilies and remaining cumin seeds. Saute' for 30 seconds. Add fenugreek and nigella seeds and saute' for 10 seconds.
4. Add the chicken and cover immediately ****. Place saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink inside, about 45 minutes. Adjust heat to allow chicken to cook without additional liquid. When cooked, chicken should be enveloped in the thick spice mixture (masala) and there should be no liquid left.
------------
** if you can't find fresh curry leaves in your neck of the woods (I couldn't), omit them. Dried curry leaves will give it a bitter flavor.
*** Fenugreek seeds are commonly found at Indian stores, but I also found these at a health food store. They have a number of medicinal properties in addition to being used to increase the amounts of breast milk. In fact, one study found fenugreek to increase the amount of breast milk by 900%. No that's not a typo. 900%
.**** I had covered the chicken for a portion of time, but I had to remove the lid and allow the moisture to escape so the chicken wouldn't be overdone. Keep an eye on it and use your own judgment.
TIP: The whole dried red chilies are to flavor the oil and should not be eaten. If you prefer, remove the chilies before serving.
--------------------
This is what it should look like when you are done.
I placed a few of the chili peppers on the chicken for appearances sake as presentation is part of the eating experience. Food is something that should be enjoyed and never shoved into your face like your loading a musket. I had two green serranos, one orange/red serrano and a dried Red Indian chili (they turn black when cooked).
Neil
