Chicken With Roasted Coriander In A Coconut Curry Sauce

This is a delicious Chicken With Roasted Coriander In A Coconut Curry Sauce. (Dakshini murgh) I have made them earlier with the Cauliflower With Potatoes that I have posted earlier. They compliments well together and great with steamed rice! The recipe is adapted from the same cookbook from Madhur Jaffrey's.

Chicken With Roasted Coriander In A Coconut Curry Sauce

Ingredients

3 Tbsp Coriander Seeds

1/4 tsp Fenugreek Seeds

2 tsp Black Peppercorns

6 Tbsp Vegetable Oil

1 tsp Black Mustard Seeds

5 cm (2 inch) Cinnamon Stick

1.5 kg (3 1/2 lb) Chicken pieces, skinned and cut into small serving portions

2 medium-sized Onions, peeled and cut into fine half-rings

4-5 cloves of Garlic, peeled and cut into fine slivers

1 tsp peeled, very finely grated fresh Ginger

100-150 g (4-5 oz) Tomatoes, finely chopped

1/2 tsp Ground Turmeric

1 tsp Cayenne Pepper

1 1/2 tsp Sea Salt

1 Tbsp Lemon Juice

One 400 g (14 oz) can of Coconut Milk

2 fresh, hot Green Chilies, split in half, lengthwise

Method

Set a small, cast-iron frying pan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Now put the coriander seeds, fenugreek and peppercorns into it. Stir and roast them for about 1 1/2 minutes or until they are lightly browned and emit a roasted aroma. Remove the spices, leave them to cool slightly then grind them finely in a clean coffee-grinder or other spice-grinder.

Put the oil in a wide, preferably non-stick pan and set over medium high heat. When hot, put in the black mustard seeds and cinnamon. As soon as the mustard seeds begin to pop - this takes just a few seconds - put in the chicken pieces, only as many as the pan hold easily in a single layer. Brown the chicken pieces in as many batches as necessary and remove to a bowl.

Once all the chicken is browned, put the onions and garlic into the same pan and turn the heat to medium. Stir and fry until the onions are light brown. Now put in the ginger and tomatoes. Stir and cook until the tomatoes are soft. Turn heat down. Add the roasted spice mixture, turmeric, cayenne, salt and lemon juice. Remove the very thick coconut cream that will have congealed at the top of the coconut milk can and set aside. Stir the remaining contents of the can. Add enough water to fill the can again and pour this mixture over the chicken. Bring to a boil. Cover, turn heat to low and simmer for 25 minutes, stirring now and then.

Stir the thick coconut cream that you removed and add that and the green chilies to the chicken. Stir once or twice as the cream warms through. Turn off the heat.

Note: The green chilies may be left as a garnish or eaten by those who are up to it.