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    Indian Curry
    Chicken Recipe
    Methi Leaves
    Intermediate
    For 4 people

    Chicken Methi Kaju Curry with Homemade Tandoori Masala


    Chicken Methi Kaju Curry is a hearty dish of chicken drumsticks marinated in aromatic spices and cooked in a flavour-packed gravy made with fresh methi leaves, creamy cashew paste, and a special homemade tandoori masala blend. With tender chicken, a luscious sauce, and pops of vibrant spice, this curry makes a satisfying meal. The recipe takes some effort but rewards you generously.

    Ingredients

    • For Tandoori Masala:

    • Sunrise Jeera Seeds (cumin seeds)

      1 tbsp

    • Sunrise Dhania Seeds (coriander seeds)

      2 tbsp

    • Sunrise Saunf Seeds (fennel seeds)

      1 tsp

    • Cinnamon stick (broken)

      1-inch piece

    • Green cardamom

      4

    • Cloves

      4

    • Black cardamom

      2

    • Star anise

      1

    • Sunrise Kali Mirch (black peppercorns)

      1 tsp

    • Mace

      2 florets

    • Dried ginger

      1-inch chunk, broken into pieces

    • Dried Kashmiri red chillies

      5-7

    • Regular dried red chillies

      5-7

    • Sunrise Kasuri Methi (dried fenugreek leaves)

      1 tbsp

    • For Curry:

    • Chicken drumsticks

      800 g

    • Fresh methi leaves (fenugreek leaves)

      1 cup, chopped

    • Cashews

      1/2 cup

    • Onions

      2 medium, chopped

    • Tomatoes

      3 medium, chopped

    • Green chillies

      2-3

    • Garlic

      1 bulb, chopped

    • Ginger

      1-inch piece, grated

    • Curd (yoghurt)

      4 tbsp

    • Sunrise Lal Mirch Powder (red chilli powder)

      1 tbsp

    • Sunrise Dhania Powder (coriander powder)

      1 tbsp

    • Sunrise Jeera Powder (cumin powder)

      1 tbsp

    • Sunrise Kashmiri Mirch Powder

      1 tsp

    • Salt

      to taste

    • Sugar

      1 tsp

    • Mustard oil

      for marinating

    • Refined oil

      for frying

    • Ghee

      1 tbsp

    • Fresh cream

      2 tbsp

    • Water

      1/2 cup

    • Fresh coriander leaves

      for garnish

    Sunrise tip: Dry roasting the spices before grinding them releases their essential oils, making the masala much more aromatic and flavourful.

     

    Steps

    Step 1: Make Tandoori Masala

    Time: 10 minutes

    Heat a pan and add Sunrise Jeera Seeds, Sunrise Dhania Seeds, and Sunrise Saunf Seeds. Dry roast for 2 minutes until fragrant, then cool on a plate.

    In the same pan, add cinnamon, green cardamom, cloves, black cardamom, star anise, Sunrise Kali Mirch, and mace. Dry roast on low flame for 3-4 minutes. Add dried ginger pieces and roast 1 minute more. Remove and cool.

    Dry roast Kashmiri and regular red chillies on low for 2-5 minutes. Cool completely.

    Once everything is cooled down, grind everything into a coarse powder. Add Sunrise Kasuri Methi and grind to a fine powder. Sift and store in a jar.

     

    Step 2: Prep Garlic and Tomato Pastes

    Time: 10 minutes

    Heat oil in a pan. Add chopped garlic and sauté until fragrant and lightly browned. Remove from heat, cool, and blend into a paste.

    In the same pan, heat more oil, add chopped tomatoes and sauté well until extra water evaporates. When tomatoes look fried, remove into a bowl, cool, and blend to a thick purée. Set both pastes aside.

     

    Step 3: Marinate Chicken

    Time: 5 minutes

    In a large bowl, mix chicken drumsticks with 2 tbsp curd, 1 tbsp each prepared tandoori masala, Sunrise Lal Mirch Powder, Sunrise Dhania Powder, Sunrise Jeera Powder, and salt. Add a swirl of mustard oil and rub well to coat chicken.

     

    Step 4: Fry Chicken

    Time: 10 minutes

    Heat refined oil in a pan. Add marinated chicken and fry until slightly charred on the outside. Remove and set aside.

     

    Step 5: Make Curry Base

    Time: 10 minutes

    In the same pan, add more oil if needed. Sauté onions and tomatoes until soft. Add Sunrise Jeera Powder, Sunrise Dhania Powder, 1 tbsp prepared tandoori masala, salt, sugar, and Sunrise Kashmiri Mirch Powder. Mix well. Add green chilli paste and mix. When oil separates, add 1/2 cup water and 2 tbsp curd. Mix well.

     

    Step 6: Add Pastes and Chicken

    Time: 10 minutes

    To the curry, add prepared cashew paste and mix. Cover and simmer 2 minutes for flavours to meld. Open lid, add ginger-garlic paste, fried garlic paste, tomato sauce, and the fried tomato purée. Mix everything well, then add the fried chicken pieces. Mix well to coat with gravy. Simmer 5 minutes.

     

    Step 7: Finish and Serve

    Time: 5 minutes

    Finally, add 1 tbsp ghee, chopped cashews, green chilli paste, and fresh cream. Give everything a good stir. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot.

     

    Goes Best With

    • Side Dish: Jeera rice, naan bread, roti