Pakistani Chicken Handi (چکن ہانڈی)

This Pakistani comfort dish combines your favourite cut of chicken with a creamy and fragrant tomato-yoghurt gravy - a lighter alternative to butter chicken.

If you’re a fan of the famous Delhi butter chicken, this Pakistani dish offers a lighter, more refreshing alternative. The name ‘handi’ actually refers to a traditional desi cooking pot made out of clay which this curry dish was normally made in. There’s a hefty case for cooking in clay pot and many traditional dishes all over the world are still prepared in them. The porous nature of the clay binds some of the aroma of the food, and over time it acquires a unique essence of its own that infuses all of the food you prepare in it thereafter. Nowadays many Pakistanis use the word ‘handi’ to refer to any sort of deep cooking pot, even modern non-stick teflon ones! Whether you use a claypot or not, the essence of this dish is the same: a creamy chicken curry that puts yoghurt in centre-frame. The chicken is simply marinated beforehand and tossed into a pot, simmered until tender - possibly the easiest chicken curry you could make actually. Let’s go!

INGREDIENTS (serves 2-3x)

• 800g chicken drumsticks or thighs (or 400g boneless chicken thighs, diced)

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 tablespoon ground coriander

• 1 tsp garam masala

• 1/2 tsp chilli powder

• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric

• 400g plain yoghurt

• 1x onion

• 1x thumb-sized piece of ginger

• 4x cloves garlic, grated

• 2-3 green chillies, sliced

• 1x bunch fresh coriander, finely chopped

• 1x small bunch fresh mint, finely chopped

• 2x large tomatoes, roasted (or 2 tablespoons tomato paste)

• 2 tablespoons cooking oil or ghee

• 2 tsps dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi) [BEST BUY]

• to serve: slice green chillies and ginger, basmati rice, chapati

WALKTHROUGH

1. Roast 2 tomatoes at 180C/350F for 20-30 minutes until wrinkled and charred in places. You may also char it over a gas flame. Set aside.

2. First, let’s marinate the chicken. Place the 800g of bone-in chicken (or 400g boneless) into a mixing bowl. Add the 1 tsp salt, 1 tablespoon ground coriander, 1 tsp garam masala, 1/2 tsp chilli powder, 1/2 tsp turmeric and 400g yoghurt.

   

3. Now we’ll make an aromatic paste to add to the chicken. Into a blender, add 1 onion, a thumb of ginger, 4x cloves of garlic, 2-3 chillies, 2x roasted tomatoes, 1x bunch of mint and 1x bunch of coriander.

   

4. Add the aromatic paste to the chicken and combine. Allow the chicken to marinate for 20 minutes or up to 24 hours.

   

   

5. Once marinated, place a pot onto medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of oil or ghee. Immediately add the marinated chicken along with all of the marinade. Bring the mixture to a boil.

   

6. Simmer the chicken in the pot until the chicken is cooked through - about 20 minutes for bone-in chicken - and the gravy has reduced and thickened. It will also take on a broken consistency.

   

   

7. Sprinkle the chicken with the 2 tsps fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi) and combine. Adjust the seasoning with salt, lemon juice or garam masala.

   

8. Serve the handi with rice or chapatis, adding a sprinkle of garam masala at the table if desired. Traditionally is scattered with julienne-sliced ginger and green chillies too. Enjoy!