A staple chicken curry that lets good-quality chicken shine, without drowning it in too many spices. Pre-cooking the chicken ensures it stays soft, while marinating it in a spiced yoghurt mix keeps it juicy and flavourful. Sunrise curry masala adds complex notes without the need to use too many whole spices. Mustard oil lends its characteristic pungency, balancing the richness of the gravy.
Sunrise tip: After you boil the chicken at the beginning, you can reserve the resulting chicken stock to make the gravy later on. This will lead to a curry that is much richer in flavour as compared to using only water.
Time: 10 minutes
Place the chicken pieces in a pot and add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes until the chicken is just cooked through. Drain the chicken and set the chicken aside to cool.
Time: 5 minutes
In a large bowl, mix the boiled chicken pieces with 1 tbsp each of garlic paste and ginger paste, salt to taste, 1 cup of curd, and 1 tbsp of mustard oil. Rub the marinade well into the chicken. Cover and set aside for 15-20 minutes.
Time: 5 minutes
In a small bowl, mix 3 tbsp of Sunrise Chicken Curry Masala with just enough lukewarm water to make a smooth, thick paste. Set aside.
Time: 10 minutes
Heat 3 tbsp of mustard oil in a deep pan until smoking hot. Reduce the heat slightly and add the sliced onions. Fry on medium heat, stirring often, until the onions turn golden brown and soft.
Time: 5 minutes
To the pan with the fried onions, add the chopped tomatoes and a pinch of sugar. Cook until the tomatoes soften. Add the marinated chicken pieces and mix well, ensuring the chicken is coated with the onion-tomato mixture.
Time: 20 minutes
Stir in the prepared Sunrise masala paste until the chicken is well coated. Pour in 1 to 1½ cups of hot water (or the reserved chicken stock from earlier) and mix well. The chicken should be properly submerged in the curry. Bring to a boil, then add the slit green chillies. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the chicken is tender and the gravy reaches your desired consistency. Stir occasionally.
Taste and adjust the salt and spices if needed. Remove from the heat. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves. Serve hot with steamed rice.
Side Dish: Begun bhaja (Bengali fried aubergine/eggplant)
Bread: Luchi (Bengali deep-fried bread) or plain parathas