BHUNA CHICKEN

Bhuna Chicken or Chicken Bhuna - as you like to call it, it's a  'Dry Curry' which means the masala clings onto the chicken rather than the chicken swimming in sauce. Bhuna is a method of cooking where you cook onions, tomatoes and meat over high heat, stirring until all the liquid dries up. 

Ingredients: 

1. Chicken - half kg (leg and thigh pieces)
2. Onions - 2
3. Tomatoes - 3-4
4. Ginger - 1 inch
5. Garlic - 15-16 cloves
6. Green chillies - 2-3 (as per taste)
7. Coriander leaves - 1 handful
8. Bay leaves - 2
9. Green cardamoms - 4
10. Cloves - 4
11. Cinnamon - 1 medium
12. Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
13. Coriander seeds - 1 tsp (whole)
14. Black pepper - 1 tsp (whole)
15. Dried red chillies - 3
16. Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
17. Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
18. Cumin powder - 1 tsp
19. Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
20. Mustard oil 
21. Salt to taste
22. Water - if required

Process: 

1. In a frying pan put cardamoms, cinnamon, cloves, dried red chillies, cumin seeds, black pepper, whole coriander seeds and dry roast over low flame. Once done keep the spices aside to cool down. 
2. Make a smooth paste of ginger and garlic - you can also add ginger garlic paste available in the market.
3. Place the chicken pieces in a bow, add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder, ginger garlic paste and salt (as per taste) and set aside for 10-15 mins.
4. Chop onions and slit open the green chillies and keep aside. Roughly chop down tomatoes and put them in a grinder to make a paste.
5. Now, in a kadai, add mustard oil and let it heat up. Once the oil turns hot, add bay leaves,  chopped onions and saute for 5-6 mins. Then add roasted spices and mix well. Add salt, ginger garlic paste and tomato paste.
6. Cover the kadai with a lid and cook for 10 mins. After 10 mins, open the lid and add 1/2 tsp red chilli powder and mix well. Add marinated chicken pieces with all the spices, cover again with a lid and cook for 15 mins. After 15 mins, flip the chicken pieces and add water, if its very dry and cover again for 10 mins.
7. Add 1 tsp garam masala powder and slit green chillies. Mix well and let it cook for 5 more mins. Check if the chickens are boiled properly.
8. Once done, add chopped coriander leaves and mix a little. 

Bhuna chicken is ready to serve now, you can serve with pulao, steamed rice or chapati.