Ingredients

  • 3 lbs skinless chicken pieces
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 inch cube fresh ginger, chopped
  • 6 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
  • 4 dried red chilies
  • 2 black cardamom pods, seeds only
  • 6 cloves
  • 2 cinnamon sticks, broken up
  • 6 black peppercorns
  • 1 tablespoon white poppy seeds
  • 12 cashew nuts
  • 4 tablespoons cold water
  • 2 ounces butter
  • 1 ounce coriander leaves, chopped
  • 2 fresh green chilies, halved and seeded
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1/2 pint warm water
  • 1/2 teaspoon saffron strand
  • 1 lb small potato, peeled and halved
  • 5 ounces fresh single cream
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 2 hardboiled egg, quatered

Method

  • Mash the salt with the ginger and garlic to make a pulp.
  • Grind the cumin seeds, red chillies, cardamom seeds, cloves, cinnamon sticks and peppercorn together to make a powder.
  • Grind the poppy seeds and the cashew nuts together. Mix all of the ground ingredients with the 4 tbsp of cold water, to make a paste.
  • In a heavy pot melt the butter over low heat,.
  • and cook the ginger/garlic pulp for 3 mins stirring all the time.
  • Add the spice paste and cook for 3 mins, stir.
  • Add the chicken and cook till it changes colour 6 minutes.
  • Add the coriander leaves,green chillie, and turmeric. Stir-fry for 3 miins.
  • Add the water, bring to the boil, add the saffron, cover the pot and simmer for 15 minutes.
  • Add the potatoes and cook till tender 20 minutes.
  • Stir the cream and lemon juice into the pot and cook uncovered for 5 minutes.
  • Garnish with the eggs.
  • serve with plain boiled rice and a vegetable curry to make this a meal to remember.