Nasi Lemak or Malaysian coconut rice, which is the national food of Malaysia, peeps usually consume this fragrant dish as breakfast. A regular platter will have this rice accompanied with a sambhal make with anchovies, some peanuts, boiled egg, and some crisp vegetables. But this recipe was taken all over Asia, mostly Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei, India and Riau Islands, so the sides are different and depends on food culture of each plate and even the taste differs. Since I am an Indian blood, I tend to enjoy this beautiful make along with a spicy chicken dish, braised in yoghurt, or call it ‘korma’. This Mughal dish follows the typical braising technique, slow cooking using yoghurt, cream, coconut milk and some nut pastes if necessary. I found this statuesque procreation done in Masterchef and hence tried it; the result is really intense, beautiful and of-course piquant. So peeps who are in for spicy food, I recommend you try this 😉

CHICKEN BRAISED IN SPICES AND YOGHURT

gather these:

Chicken cleaned well and fat removed – 500 grams
Salt – 1.5 teaspoon
Oil -3/4th a cup
Green cardamoms – 8
Black cumin – 1 tablespoon
Cinnamon – 2 inch stick
Cloves – 5
Bay Leaf – 1
Ginger paste and Garlic paste – 100 grams each (use fresh ginger and garlic)
Turmeric powder – 2 teaspoons
Red Chilli powder – 4 teaspoons
Coriander powder – 2 tablespoons
Whisked fresh yoghurt – 1 cup
Brown onion paste – 150 grams (slice 350 g onions, deep fry till golden brown, paste them in a blender)
Brown cashew nut paste – 75 grams (same as above, use cashews)
Rose water (optional) – 2 teaspoons
Mace powder – 1 teaspoon
green cardamom powder – 1 teaspoon (optional)

Start with:

Rub the chicken with some salt and leave them for around 10-15 minutes.
In a heavy bottomed pan, throw some oil and heat it up. Now add the cardamom, cumin, cinnamon,cloves and bayleaf. Once they start to sizzle, add the ginger and garlic paste, mix it well.
Mix each of the powders separately in some water to make a paste and add one by one. Salt, chilli powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder. Cook it until the oil separates from the paste.
Add in the whisked yoghurt, stir it continuously with raised flame, until it starts to boil. Now simmer and wait until the oil rises to the surface,
Add the chicken, cook with a little water, until half done.
Now add the brown onion paste and incorporate it well. Now add 3 cups of water and cook the chicken completely and until the gravy start to thicken. This takes some time, do have patience.
Now, separate the chicken and gravy using a slotted spoon. Now let’s do a bit something on the gravy.
Add the cashew nut paste, rose water, mace powder and cardamom powder to the gravy. Wait for around a minute. I know, the aroma is making a sea in your mouth..
Return the chicken pieces back and simmer for around a minute. Enjoy..