Chicken – 1 kg (cut in medium pcs)
Poppy seeds or khaskhas – 2 tbsps
Cashew nuts - ½ cup
Milk – ½ cup
Onion – 2 (cut in juliennes)
Green chillies – 4 to 5 (or as per taste)
Garlic cloves – 3 to 4
Peppercorns – ½ tsp
Bay leaf – 1
Salt – as per taste
Sugar – a pinch
Oil – 5 to 6 tbsp
Red chillies – 2 (optional)
Spring onion – 2 tbsp (chopped finely)
1. Wash and dry the chicken. Add little salt to the chicken.
2. Heat 2 tbsps oil in a bottom heavy pan or Kauai. Add the peppercorns and bay leaf. Once the peppercorn starts crackling add the chicken to it.
3. Sauté till the chicken gets a pale golden colour.
4. Now grind the poppy seeds, cashew nuts, garlic cloves and green chillies to a fine paste.
5. Add this paste to the chicken and ensure that the chicken is coated well in this paste. Keep on stirring as it tends to stick to the base pretty fast.
6. Bring the flame to low and add the milk. Mix well and add water as required. Season with salt and sugar.
7. Cover the pan with a lid till the chicken is cooked.
8. In the meantime, heat the remaining oil and fry the onions till they are crispy and brown.
9. Now add the caramelised onion to the chicken. Mix the onions in the gravy and garnish with red chillies, chopped spring onions and few strands of caramelised onion.
Tip: Soak the poppy seeds in hot water for 5 mins to get a fine paste.