Ingredients:

  • 1 kg chicken, bone-in, cut into small karahi pieces
  • 0.5 cup neutral oil or ghee
  • 1.5 tbsp ginger paste
  • 1.5 tbsp garlic paste
  • 500g tomatoes, halved
  • 5 green chilies, slit lengthwise
  • 2 tbsp fresh ginger, julienned
  • 120g plain full-fat yogurt, whisked
  • 1.5 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp red chili flakes
  • 1 tsp crushed coriander seeds
  • 1 tsp crushed cumin seeds
  • 0.5 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
  • 0.5 tsp garam masala

Instructions:

  1. Heat the oil or ghee in a karahi or deep wok over high heat until shimmering.
  2. Add the chicken pieces and fry for 5–7 minutes until the edges develop a light crust and the meat turns opaque. Add ginger and garlic pastes halfway through this process.
  3. Place the halved tomatoes face down over the chicken. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and reduce heat to medium for 5 minutes to steam the skins loose.
  4. Remove the lid and use tongs to peel off and discard the tomato skins.
  5. Increase heat to high and mash the tomatoes with a spatula, stirring constantly to reduce the juices and emulsify them with the oil.
  6. Add the salt, red chili flakes, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, turmeric, and whisked yogurt. Stir-fry (Bhuna) on high heat until the moisture evaporates and the oil separates from the masala.
  7. Stir in the slit green chilies and half of the julienned ginger.
  8. Finish by adding the freshly cracked black pepper and garam masala. Garnish with the remaining julienned ginger and serve immediately.