MADHUR’S HARE MASALE WALI MURGHI (chicken with fresh coriander and lemon, for six)

two 1 inch cubes fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped

4 tablespoons plus 5 fluid ounces water

6 tablespoons vegetable oil

2-1/2 pounds chicken pieces

5 cloves garlic, peeled and very finely chopped

1 cup finely chopped fresh coriander, plus more for garnish

½ to 1 fresh, hot, green chile, very finely chopped

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

2 tablespoons lemon juice

____________

1.  Put the ginger and 4 tablespoons water into the container of a blender. Blend until you have a paste.

2.  Put the oil in a wide, heavy, preferably nonstick pan over medium-high heat.  When hot, put in as many chicken pieces as will fit loosely in a single layer and brown on both sides.  Remove the chicken pieces with a slotted spoon and put them in a bowl.  Brown all the chicken pieces in this way.

3.  Put the garlic into the same hot oil.  As soon as the pieces turn a medium brown color, which will happen quickly, turn heat to medium and pour in the paste from the blender.  Stir and fry it for a minute.  Now add the fresh coriander, green chile, cayenne, ground cumin, ground coriander, turmeric and salt.  Stir and cook for a minute.  Put in all the chicken pieces, skin side down, as well as any liquid that has accumulated in the chicken bowl.  Also add the 5 fluid ounces water and the lemon juice.  Stir and bring to a boil.  Cover tightly, turn heat to low and cook 15 minutes.  Turn the chicken pieces over, skin side up.  Cover again and cook another 15 minutes or until the chicken is tender.

4.  If sauce is too thin, uncover the pan and boil some of it away over slightly higher heat.  Sprinkle with additional fresh coriander just before serving.

adapted from Madhur Jaffrey’s Indian Cooking