Search
    Non-vegetarian
    Main Dish
    Bengali
    Intermediate
    For 4 people

    Spice-Crusted Ghee Roast Chicken with Jaggery and Curry Leaves


    Spice-Crusted Ghee Roast Chicken is a Bengali twist on the classic Mangalorean dish. Tender chicken pieces are coated in a fragrant blend of roasted and ground spices, then simmered in a rich, ghee-based gravy sweetened with jaggery. The heady aroma of curry leaves completes this sumptuous, flavour-packed chicken dish that's sure to become a family favourite.

    Ingredients

    • For the Chicken:

    • Chicken thighs (boneless, skinless, cut into bite-sized pieces)

      1 kg

    • For the Ground Spices:

    • Sunrise Methi seeds

      2 tbsp

    • Sunrise Saunf seeds

      2 tbsp

    • For the Dry Roast Masala:

    • Sunrise Haldi Powder

      2 tbsp

    • Sunrise Jeera Powder

      2 tbsp

    • Sunrise Dhania Powder

      2 tbsp

    • Sunrise Lal Mirch Powder

      1 tbsp

    • Sunrise Kali Mirch Powder

      1 tbsp

    • Sunrise Kashmiri Mirch Powder

      1 tbsp

    • Ground Methi and Saunf powders (from above)

      4 tbsp total

    • For Marination:

    • Curd

      1 cup

    • Imli sauce

      2 tbsp

    • Lemon juice

      1 tbsp

    • Garlic paste

      1 tbsp

    • Ginger paste

      1 tbsp

    • Salt

      1 tsp

    • For Cooking:

    • Ghee

      1/2 cup

    • Onion (finely chopped)

      1 cup

    • Sugar

      1 pinch

    • Cane jaggery (grated or powdered)

      2 tbsp

    • Water

      1/2 cup

    • Fresh curry leaves

      10-12

    Sunrise tip: Boiling the chicken pieces before marinating them helps the chicken absorb more of the spicy flavours.

     

    Steps

    Step 1: Boil the Chicken

    Time: 15 minutes

    Bring a pot of water to boil. Add the chicken pieces and cook until they are about 75% done. Drain the chicken, discarding the water, and set the partially cooked chicken aside.

     

    Step 2: Grind the Whole Spices

    Time: 5 minutes

    In a spice grinder or mortar and pestle, grind the Methi seeds into a fine powder. Transfer to a small bowl. Repeat with the Saunf seeds, transferring the ground Saunf to a separate bowl.

     

    Step 3: Dry Roast the Spices

    Time: 5 minutes

    In a dry pan on low heat, add the Sunrise Haldi Powder, Sunrise Jeera Powder, Sunrise Dhania Powder, Sunrise Lal Mirch Powder, Sunrise Kali Mirch Powder, and Sunrise Kashmiri Mirch Powder along with the freshly ground Sunrise Methi and Sunrise Saunf powders. Roast the spices, stirring constantly, until they turn fragrant. Remove from heat and let the spice mix cool completely.

     

    Step 4: Marinate the Chicken

    Time: 10 minutes

    In a large bowl, mix the cooled spice blend, curd, imli sauce, lemon juice, garlic paste, ginger paste and salt until well combined. Add the boiled chicken pieces and mix thoroughly, making sure each piece is well coated with the marinade.

     

    Step 5: Prepare the Gravy Base

    Time: 10 minutes

    Heat ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan or kadai. Once hot, add the chopped onions and a pinch of sugar. Sauté until the onions turn golden brown.

     

    Step 6: Cook the Chicken

    Time: 20 minutes

    Add the marinated chicken to the pan, along with all the marinade. Stir in the jaggery and water. Mix well and bring the gravy to a gentle boil. Simmer for 10-12 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the gravy reaches your desired consistency.

     

    Step 7: Finishing Touches

    Time: 5 minutes

    Toss in the fresh curry leaves and sauté for 1-2 minutes, until the leaves are crisp and their aroma infuses the gravy. Remove from heat.

     

    Step 8: Serve

    Spoon the Spice-Crusted Ghee Roast Chicken onto a serving platter or individual plates. Serve hot with paratha, naan, or steamed rice. Enjoy!

     

    Goes Best With

    • Bread: Missi roti, Naan bread, Lachha paratha

    • Rice: Jeera rice, Steamed basmati rice