Name: Kadai Chicken
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 300 g Chicken, bone-in, small pieces; 1 Green Bell Pepper, cut into large cubes; 1½ Onion, 1 finely chopped, 0.5 cut into cube petals; 3 Tomato, pureed or very finely chopped; 1 tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste; 1½ tbsp Kadai Chicken Masala, crushed coriander seeds, cumin, dry red chilli; ¼ tsp Ground Turmeric; 2½ tbsp Cooking Oil; 1 tsp Dried Fenugreek Leaves; 1 tsp Salt

1 hrtotal

50 min hands-on10 min hands-off

Prep 15 min · Cook 35 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Medium
Spice: Spicy

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Method

In a shallow pan, heat a very small portion of the cooking oil over high heat. Flash-fry the cubed capsicum and onion petals for exactly 2 minutes. The goal is to blister the skin while retaining a snappy crunch. Remove from pan and set aside.
2 min
Heat the remaining oil in a heavy kadhai. Add the finely chopped onions and fry steadily until they are deep golden.
Add the ginger-garlic paste and toast it for one minute. Immediately drop in the chicken pieces, searing them hard on a high flame until the exterior tightens and turns entirely opaque.
Pour in the tomato puree, dust with turmeric, and season with salt. Cook down this base until the tomato completely reduces to a paste and expels its oils.
Stir in the coarsely ground kadai masala and mix well so the chicken is coated. Cover, lower the heat and simmer for 10-12 minutes until the chicken is tender.
10–12 min
Remove the cover, return the flash-fried capsicum and onion petals to the simmering kadhai, and gently toss. Cook uncovered for a final 3 minutes to marry the flavors without turning the vegetables to mush.
3 min
Crush the dried fenugreek leaves securely over the bubbling pot, give a final stir, and serve immediately straight from the kadhai.

How to tell it's done

Expect a thick, highly-spiced, clinging masala hugging juicy pieces of chicken, punctuated by the vibrant, crunchy texture of the quick-fried peppers.

Getting it right

Tip

The definitive texture profile of a Kadai dish relies heavily on not overcooking the final addition of cubed bell peppers and onions; they must retain a distinct bite.

What to serve it with

Unbeatable when paired with charred tandoori rotis, garlic butter naan, or simple jeera rice.

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Ingredients