Dilicious Dhaba Style Chicken Curry Recipes 😋😋

Dilicious Dhaba Style Chicken Curry Recipes 😋😋

Dhaba style chicken curry served in the pressure cooker it was made in

 Time consuming because masala is ground and cooked till it's color changes. 

This is characteristic of most Indian curries, and the slow cooking process or bhuno is what lends dishes a unique flavor.

Ingredients for chicken curry

Here are the main ingredients you'll need for this recipe:

Ingredients for the marinade

Chicken: Bone in chicken cut into 2 inch pieces. Most Indian curries use the entire bird (thighs, breast, drumsticks)

Ginger Garlic Paste: Fresh ginger and garlic in equal parts ground to a paste with a little water. Use store bought in a pinch but fresh adds more flavour

Lime Juice: Acid helps tenderise the meat

Mustard Oil: Key to getting that unique dhaba flavour. More pungent and add a smokiness

Whole Spices: Cumin, Cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and bayleaf. 

Skip if you don't have but I recommend using them for that burst of flavour

Ginger & Garlic: Ground with onions. Can be substituted with 1.5 tablespoon store bought or homemade ginger garlic paste

Onions: Form the main base of the gravy and add flavour, density and thickness

Green Chillies: Add heat and flavour. Use serrano peppers if you don't have Indian green chillies available

Ground Spices: Red Chilli Powder, Turmeric Powder, Coriander Powder and Garam Masala. Homemade garam masala works best and should be added towards the middle or end of the cooking process to retain its aroma and flavour

Ingredients for the tempering or tadka laid out on a marble with text to identify them

Tempering: The tempering uses ghee, ginger and green chillies and adds an additional layer of flavour once the curry is cooked

what makes this recipe so unique?

Here’s what we found - dhabas use more oil, ghee and butter to add richness and to cook the food faster, there's a natural smoky flavour because all the cooking is done on a really high flame or using firewood, they liberally use freshly ground spices wherever possible and finally, they end the dish with a sizzling tadka/tempering!

Step by step collage showing how to marinade chicken and grind onion paste for the gravy

Marinate the chicken in ginger garlic paste, lime juice and salt. This adds flavour from within and the acid helps tenderise the meat

Grind ginger, garlic, green chillies and onions to a paste with a little water. This becomes the base of the curry

Brown the onion paste in oil that's tempered with whole spices. This is a slow cooking process where the onion paste is sauteed on a low flame till it changes colour and becomes a deep golden brown. You'll see a thin layer of oil floating on the top and the sides - thats when you know its cooked through and isn't raw anymore

Cook tomatoes and spices for a few minutes till the tomatoes become pulpy soft

Roast the chicken along with garam masala in the onion tomato mixture

 Tossing it for a minute or two till the gravy coats all the pieces

Pressure Cook for 15-20minutes. 

Wait till you hear two more whistles and then turn off the flame. 

Let the pressure release

 Sprinkle some chopped coriander for freshness and flavour

Always marinate

Brown the onion paste

Don't rush this process. Browning onions slowly well gets rid of any raw smell and flavour.  when you see a little oil separating on the sides and the colour changes to a deep golden.  THE herbs, spices and tomatoes create the perfect balance. 

Always I use quality garam masala

I always USE  homemade garam masala.Add it just before cooking the chicken so that it retains its freshness and aroma

You can put 1TBSPN GHEE, it gives it that extra kick along with the richness 

I hope you guys enjoy this recipe as much as I try my best 😉😉 And like all curries, this tastes even better 😋😋😋

Dhaba style chicken curry served in the pressure cooker it was made in

Dhaba Style Chicken Curry

Ingredients

▢1 kg Chicken skinless, bone-in whole chicken cut into medium sized pieces (referred to as curry cut in India)

For the marinade:

▢2 tablespoons Ginger Garlic Paste

▢1 Juice of lime

▢1 tablespoon Salt

For the curry:

▢¼ cup Mustard Oil see note 2

▢4 medium Onions

▢10 cloves Garlic

▢1½ inches Ginger

▢3 - 4 Green Chilies use Serrano Peppers as replacement, adjust the spice as required

▢1 tablespoon Cumin Seeds

▢2 Bay leaves

▢½ Cinnamon stick Stick

▢4 - 5 Cardamoms

▢8 - 10 Peppercorns

▢4 - 5 Cloves

▢4 medium Tomatoes finely chopped

▢½ teaspoon Turmeric Powder

▢1 teaspoon Red Chili Powder optional; adjust the spice as required

▢2 tablespoons Coriander Powder

▢1 teaspoon garam masala Powder

▢1 teaspoon Salt

For tempering:

▢1 tablespoon Ghee or Oil

▢1 tablespoon Butter

▢2 Green Chilies slit lengthwise

▢½ inch Ginger julienned

▢2 tablespoon Coriander for garnishing

Instructions

Marinate the chicken pieces with ginger garlic paste, lime juice and salt. Cover and set aside while you prep everything else