The Big Boys Curry Book
Murgh Ras Chawal (Green Chicken Curry)


This is based on a Parsee dish often as not made with white fish. In this variation, though I have used chicken and the result is a dryish fragrant, mild dish that suits a simple rice and salad as accompaniments. The recipe is for one person, so scale up as required.
Ingredients
For the marinade
- 1 chicken breast cut into thin slices
- 1/2 lime juiced
- Lg. pinch turmeric powder
- Salt and pepper
For the spice paste
- 1/2 tbsp. white poppy seed
- 1 green chilli
- 2 tbsp. fresh grated coconut
- 1 sm. onion chopped roughly
- 1/2 tsp. garlic paste
- 1/2 tsp. ginger paste
- 2 cardamoms
- Small piece of blade mace
- 1/8 tsp. fennel seed
For cooking
- Lg. handful of fresh coriander, chopped very finely and mixed with a little water
- 1/2 tsp. coriander powder mixed with a little water
- 1/2 tsp. white cummin seed
- Salt to taste
- 1/2 tsp. sugar
- 1 tbsp. oil
- A few mint leaves to garnish (optional)
Method
- Mix all the marinade ingredients in a bowl and leave for 1/2 hour
- Grind the poppy seed with a mortar and pestle until smooth.
- Blend all the spice paste ingredients thoroughly in a blender or food processor. Avoid adding water if possible.
- Heat the oil gently in a wide pan and add cummin seed
- When cummin starts to sizzle, then add coriander powder and cook for a few seconds more
- Add the spice paste and saute for 10 minutes, stirring continuously. Add a little water if necessary to avoid sticking.
- Add the coriander leaf, salt to taste and sugar. Stir thoroughly.
- Add chicken and stir fry into the mixture until chicken almost cooked.
- Add 1/2 a cup of water and mix. Reduce heat and simmer gently, stirring occasionally until chicken is cooked. You may need to add a little more water but do not waterlog the dish.
- Serve garnished with a mint leaf or two if available.