News India Times
February 12, 2016
22
– that’s all you need to know
Cuisine
By Bonnie S. Benwick
dish that was once
known only to the
aristocracy in ancient
south-central India
sure sounds humble
on the menu at Bethesda Curry
Kitchen: “chicken chunks in
cashewnut paste and yoghurt
gravy.” But Anil Sustarwar’s dum
ka murgh is not to be over-
looked.
The chef learned how to
make it in India 24 years ago,
where his teacher doled out its
secrets over the course of five
years. Sustarwar has simplified
the steps in this recipe —“dum”
refers to a way of slow cooking
in a dough-sealed pot —with-
out yielding much of the dish’s
complex flavors. When you’re up
for trying your hand at
Hyderabadi cuisine, this is a
worthy starting point.
Dum ka Murgh (Chicken)
6 to 8 servings
To make the sauce as smooth
as it should be, it's best to use a
Vitamix or other high-powered
blender to puree the onion-nut
paste.
Serve with jasmine rice.
Make Ahead: The onions can
be caramelized, cooled and
refrigerated up to 5 days in
advance. The chicken needs to
marinate for 1 hour. The dish
tastes even better after a day's
refrigeration.
Where to Buy: The ginger-
garlic paste, black cumin seed
(shahi jeera), Indian bay leaves
(tej patta) and Kashmiri chili
powder are available at Indian
markets; the dried spices are
also available at Bazaar Spices in
the District's Union Market.
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups peanut oil
2 medium yellow onions, cut
in half, then sliced into very thin
half-moons
3 ounces (scant 1 cup) whole
blanched almonds
3 ounces (scant 3/4 cup) raw
unsalted cashews, toasted (see
NOTES)
1 ounce (1/4 cup) white
poppy seeds
1 ounce (about 1/2 cup)
dessicated (dried, unsweetened)
coconut
Water
2 ounces ginger-garlic paste
(see headnote)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
One 3-inch cinnamon stick
7 green cardamom pods
4 whole cloves
2 Indian bay leaves (tej patta;
see headnote)
1/2 teaspoon black cumin
seed, toasted (shahi jeera; see
headnote and NOTES)
1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri chili
powder (see headnote)
Pinch kosher salt
Pinch saffron threads
1/2 cup plain whole-milk
yogurt
3 pounds boneless, skinless
chicken thighs, excess fat
trimmed
2 small green chili peppers,
stemmed (not seeded), then
thinly sliced
Leaves from 2 stems mint,
coarsely chopped
Leaves from 2 stems cilantro,
coarsely chopped, plus more cut
into thin ribbons for garnish
2 tablespoons clarified butter
(see NOTES)
DIRECTIONS
Pour the oil into a heavy-bot-
tomed pot over medium heat,
then stir in the onions. Cook for
50 to 60 minutes, stirring occa-
sionally and adjusting the heat
as needed so the onions don't
burn, until caramelized to a
rich, dark brown. Remove from
the heat to cool completely.
Meanwhile, combine the
almonds, toasted cashews,
white poppy seeds and desiccat-
ed coconut in a high-powered
blender; puree until fairly
smooth, then add the
caramelized onions and their
oil. Puree to a smooth paste,
adding a little water (up to 1
cup) as needed.
Combine the ginger-garlic
paste, lemon juice, cinnamon
stick, cardamom, cloves, Indian
bay leaves, toasted black cumin
seed, Kashmiri chili powder,
salt, saffron threads and yogurt
in a mixing bowl, stirring until
well combined. Add the chicken
thighs and toss to coat thor-
oughly. Cover and let it sit at
room temperature for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 325
degrees. Have at hand a large,
ovenproof, lidded saute pan or
deep-sided skillet with a
lid.Uncover the chicken; add the
nut-onion paste, the green
chilies, the chopped mint and
cilantro and the clarified butter,
stirring to incorporate.
Transfer to the saute pan or
skillet. Seal tightly (a crimped
layer of foil and/or parchment
paper under the lid will help)
and slow-roast for 1 to 1 1/2
hours or until the chicken is ten-
der and cooked through; start
checking after 1 hour. Discard
the cinnamon stick, cloves and
bay leaves, if you wish. Garnish
with ribbons of cilantro.Serve
hot, with rice.
NOTES: To toast the cashews,
spread them in a small, dry skil-
let. Cook over medium-low heat
for a few minutes, until fragrant
and lightly browned, stirring or
shaking the pan as needed to
prevent scorching.
Cool completely before
using.To toast the black cumin
seed, cook in a small, dry skillet
over medium-low heat for a few
minutes, until fragrant and
lightly browned, stirring or
shaking the pan as needed to
prevent scorching. Cool com-
pletely before using.
To clarify butter, place more
of it than you need in small
saucepan over medium-low
heat. Cook without stirring until
it has liquefied, then begin
skimming the foam off the top
(discarding the foam) until the
butter is clear enough to see
through to the milky solids at
the bottom of the pan. Remove
from heat and strain the clear
butter into a separate container.
– TheWashington Post
A
Make An Indian Chicken DishWith Royal Roots
