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Chicken With Shallots And Onions
(Murg Do Pyaza)
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| What You Need: |
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½ teaspoon saffron threads
3 tablespoons boiling water
The seeds of 6 cardamom pods or ½ teaspoon cardamom seeds
½ teaspoon fennel seeds
A 2½ -to 3-pound chicken, cut into 4 to 6 serving pieces
2 teaspoons salt
½ cup ghee
12 large whole shallot cloves, peeled
1 large onion, peeled, cut lengthwise in half, and sliced lengthwise into paper-thin slivers
1 cup finely chopped onions
2 tablespoons scraped, finely chopped fresh ginger root
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
A 2-inch piece of stick cinnamon
1 cup unflavored yoghurt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
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| How To Cook: |
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1. Drop the saffron into a small bowl or cup, pour in the boiling water, and soak for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the cardamom and fennel in a small ungreased skillet and, shaking the pan constantly, toast the seeds over moderate heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Then pulverize them with a mortar and pestle or in a small bowl with the back of a spoon.
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2. Pat the chicken completely dry with paper towels, sprinkle the pieces with 1 teaspoon of the salt, and set them aside at room temperature. In a heavy 4- to 6-quart casserole, heat ¼ cup of the ghee over moderate heat until a drop of water flicked into it splutters instantly.
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3. Add the shallots and, shaking the pan from time to time, cook for 5 to 8 minutes until they color lightly. Then transfer the shallots to a bowl with a slotted spoon. Add the slivered onions to the ghee remaining in the casserole and, stirring them frequently, fry them over moderate heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until they are soft and light brown.
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4. Watch carefully for any sign of burning and regulate the heat accordingly. Add them to the bowl of shallots. Pour the remaining ¼ cup of ghee into the casserole and add the chicken, skin side down. Fry the pieces for about 5 minutes on each side, or until they are golden brown.
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5. Transfer the pieces to a plate. Add the chopped onions, ginger, garlic, cumin, turmeric, coriander and the remaining teaspoon of salt to the casserole and, stirring constantly, fry for 5 minutes, until the onions are soft and transparent but not brown. Return the chicken to the pan and turn it about with a spoon to coat it evenly with the pan mixture.
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6. Stir in the cardamom, fennel, black pepper and cinnamon stick, then pour in the yoghurt and the saffron and its soaking liquid. Stir thoroughly and reduce the heat to low.
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7. Scatter the shallots and slivered onions on top, cover the casserole tightly, and simmer the chicken for 30 minutes, or until it is tender but not overcooked. Sprinkle the top with the lemon juice and serve directly from the casserole, or from a deep heated platter.
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