Fenugreek Chicken

 I am sorry I have been missing for so long but as you all know I have been busy sorting our new house out. With so many restrictions because of the pandemic it has been quite a challenge to get work done. We have been taking baby steps exploring our neighbourhood, figuring out the suppliers etc. Well, the only real solace I have is that I have been happily enjoying working in the garden and growing my own produce (whatever is possible). More of that later. I am going to teach you how to make a delicious main dish using chicken in this post. At the end of the article, I have also given options for vegans and vegetarians.  It's really easy to put together but the flavours are big and the taste is sensational. We are going to use Fenugreek Leaves. I have grown them in my home garden. If you are wondering what Fenugreek is, it's a leafy vegetable that is packed with loads and loads of nutritional benefits. It's quite easy to grow it at home. You do not need a lot of space. Just a big deep pot of mud and some fenugreek seeds (available in packets at Asian/ Indian stores). 

Here's how you grow this leafy vegetable -

Take about 6-7 fenugreek seeds and soak them in water overnight, 

The next morning, drain the water out and allow the seeds to germinate in a slightly warm place. Not too much. Just till you see the seed begin to split. Takes a day and a half. Now, just put these seeds in the soil (about 5 cms deep), cover them with soil and within 2 weeks you will have your plant. Remember to water the plant regularly. About once in 3 days if you live in a cold place. Once a day if you live in a warm place. You can start harvesting in about 5 weeks.

Fresh Fenugreek leaves as seen in the above picture 

The one thing that this pandemic has taught me is self-reliance. I don't have to go searching for this leafy vegetable anymore. Plus, it's so versatile you can also use it in flatbreads.  I will cover that later this week. 

As always, make sure you are not allergic to this vegetable. If you are, you can safely replace this with baby spinach leaves. The flavour is different but just as tasty!

 You can source fresh fenugreek leaves from your Asian/ Indian store. Or you can substitute the fresh leaves with dried ones. The dried ones are called Kasoori Methi and are sold in a packet at most Asian stores. 

Make sure you soak the leaves well in water and wash them well to take out any dirt or mud. 

Let's now get cooking the chicken.

Ingredients

500 grams Chicken (I used 3 chicken thighs that I chopped into pieces)

1/2 cup full fat yoghurt

2 tomatoes chopped up

1/2 cup fresh coriander leaves

3 garlic cloves

1/2 inch ginger, peeled and chopped. Keep 3- 4 strips for garnish

2 green chilies

2 tablespoons Ghee (replace with olive oil or unsalted butter)

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

3 mid sized onions chopped up

1/2 teaspoon coriander powder

1/4 teaspoon mild red chili powder (if you prefer mild food then just skip this as we are using green chilies)

1 cup washed fresh fenugreek leaves (soak these in salt water to remove bitterness and then wash in regular water)/ 1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves that have been soaked in water and washed. 

Salt to taste

1/2 tablespoon lemon juice

Garam masala:

2 cloves

1/4 inch cinnamon

1 dried bay leaf

1 black cardamom bashed up slightly

2 Green cardamoms split up

Method 

Marinate the chicken in yoghurt and and salt for atleast 45 minutes. More the better. I generally keep it for 2 hours. Marination keeps the meat tender. 

Heat a deep vessel (preferably cast iron and oven friendly) and  add the ghee. 

Allow to melt. 

Then add the spices listed below Garam masala. 

Keep the heat on low and fry these well till you have a nice fragrance. 

Add the onions next along with ginger and garlic. 

Now fry this well so that the onions turn a nice shade of golden. Add the green chilies and keep frying on low making sure you don't burn the garlic. Takes about 4 minutes. 

Add the chopped tomatoes next and stir fry for 10 minutes. Add the turmeric, coriander powder and red chili powder (if using) with a teaspoon of water. This ensures the powders don't burn. 

Keep frying the tomatoes till they mash up and the juices starts oozing out of them. About 10 minutes. 

Now, add the marinated chicken and mix well. 

Add 1/2 cup water and bring to a boil. 

Once boiling, reduce the heat to lowest setting. 

Cover and allow to simmer. 

It should generally take 25 -30 minutes to cook.

Take out the cover and add the fenugreek leaves. Mix well and then cover and allow to cook on low for 10 minutes more. 

Sprinkle some thinly sliced ginger slices  and the fresh coriander leaves. 

Now you can choose to give this dish a very authentic flavour that's commonly used in restaurants. 

You seal your vessel cover with  dough (regular chapati/roti dough) and then place it in a preheated oven for 10 minutes at 180 degrees C. This method of cooking is called Dum. It traps all the flavours in and the dish has a different taste. 

Once out of the oven, you use a knife to break the seal and the aromas that fill the room will make you jump at the dish right away. Any leftovers as always taste even more delicious. 

Squeeze some lemon juice before serving. Tastes great with bread/roti/rice. 

Tip: To make it more decadent, add a small blob of butter when hot. 

This dish is a real crowd-pleaser at my parties, I also bulk it up with blocks of potatoes if I am expecting guests at the last minute. You can also just make it a day before and allow the flavours to soak in the meat. 

 Vegetarian/ Vegan options 

For vegetarians, a good option is using cottage cheese or tofu chunks. No need to marinate, just cut cubes and pan fry them in a little bit of ghee. Use them once your tomato base is cooked. 

For vegans, skip using ghee and use Sunflower/groundnut oil instead. No need to marinate. As vegetable options you can use diced bell peppers, potato cubes, diced carrots, sweet corn and button mushrooms. Put these just before you add the tomatoes and stir fry them. Then continue just as stated above. 

Enjoy!