Chicken Ghee Roast

Ingredients:

For the Tamarind Water:
1 lemon sized ball of tamarind pulp
Warm Water

For the Masala:
15 dried red chillies
1 tbsp coriander seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp black peppercorns
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
4 garlic cloves (or 1 tbsp minced garlic)
Tamarind water

To Marinate the Chicken:
1kg (2 1/3 lb) chicken, cut into medium sized pieces
1/2 tsp ground turmeric (turmeric powder)
Juice of 1 lemon
60ml (1/4 cup) yoghurt
Salt to taste

For the Chicken Ghee Roast:
6 tbsp ghee
2 tsp grated jaggery (or you can use brown sugar)
Salt to taste
Curry leaves, to garnish

Method:

Place the tamarind in a bowl and cover with warm water. Set aside to soak for 10 minutes then strain and discard any left-over solids. Set aside until needed.

For the masala, dry roast red chillies, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, black peppercorns and fenugreek seeds in a frying pan over low flame for about 1 minute, or until aromatic. Turn onto a plate and set aside to cool. Once cold, turn into a grinder along with the garlic cloves and tamarind water. Process until smooth (add a little water if needed). Scrape into a bowl and set aside.

Combine the ground turmeric, lemon juice and yogurt then slather this mixture all over the chicken. Season with salt then cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or overnight if possible.

When ready to cook, heat 3 tbsp ghee in a heavy bottomed pan. Add chicken and fry, turning occasionally for 20 minutes until browned on all sides. Transfer chicken and sauce to a plate and set aside.

Add an additional 3 tbsp ghee to the same pan over medium-high heat. Stir in the ground paste and fry for 4-5 minutes or until the oil separates. Pour in the reserved sauce from the chicken, add the jaggery and fried chicken. Season to taste with salt.

Stir to combine, cover with lid, and cook over low heat for 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Transfer the chicken and sauce to a serving dish, garnish with curry leaves and bring to the table.