Chicken Khubani Masala

Ingredients:

• For marination:
• 500 grams chicken (with bone)
• 1/2 tbsp vinegar
• A pinch of sugar
• to taste salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp garam masala powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• For curry:
• 12 pcs dried khubani
• 1/2 cup onion paste
• 1 cup pureed tomatoes
• 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 cup coriander, chopped
• 4 Cloves
• 5-6 Black pepper corns
• 2 Green cardamom pods
• 1 Cinnamon stick
• 1 Bay leaf
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 tsp kashmiri red chili powder
• 1 tsp garam masala powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder
• 1-2 tsp turmeric powder
• to taste salt
• 2 tbsp cooking oil
• 2 tbsp curd

Instructions:

1. Soak the dried apricots overnight. Once they are re-hydrated well make a puree of about 7 pieces, keeping the rest aside. Keep soaking water aside.
2. Marinate the chicken with all the ingredients mentioned for marination for 2 hours.
3. Now, heat oil in a brass patila and over a medium-high heat, sear the chicken pieces on all the sides. Dish them out and keep aside till we make the curry.
4. In same patila add cumin, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamom and pepper corns. Once they change their colour, put in the onion paste and saute till it turns nice golden brown.
5. Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, cumin powder, and coriander powder and ginger-garlic paste. Saute for few seconds after which add the tomato and apricot puree.
6. Cover the wok with a lid and let the masala cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until the oil separates.
7. Add chicken pieces along with the soaked apricots and apricots water. Cover the lid again and simmer until the chicken is cooked through. adjust consistency by adding some water and letting it cook until it again comes to a boil.
8. Balance with salt, curd, lemon juice (to balance the sweetness), chopped coriander and serve hot.