Maharashtrian Gavran Chicken Curry Recipe For Dinner
Image Credit: Kali Mirch - by Smita

Chicken curries of all kinds are associated with being the ultimate meal of indulgence and truth be told, we could all use a bit of comforting from time to time. That said, with the sheer variety and styles of chicken curries from across the country, it is hard to pick a favourite. Depending on the region a chicken curry hails from, you can spot the cultural influences in the change in flavour, use of spices and how hot or mellow it finally tastes.

This Maharashtrian Gavran chicken curry or country-style chicken curry, is typically made in parts of interior Maharashtra with desi chickens, who aren’t known to have much meat on their bones. As the meat is typically dry on these chickens when cooked, they are usually added to a runnier curry to keep the meat tender and juicy. While you recreate this chicken curry at home with regular chicken, it helps to marinate the meat with some salt before any other ingredients are added in, to draw out the moisture and have a slightly thicker gravy to mop up with rice or pav.

 

Recipe:

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Ingredients

  • 250 grams chicken, curry cut
  • ¼ cup dry coconut
  • 2 + 2 onions, peeled
  • 2 potatoes, halved
  • 2 green chillies
  • 1.5-inch piece ginger
  • 8 garlic cloves
  • 1 stick cinnamon
  • ¼ cup fresh coriander
  • 2 cardamom pods
  • 2 tablespoons coriander seeds
  • 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 2 teaspoons red chilli powder
  • 1 teaspoon meat masala
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • Salt, to taste

  • Wash and pat dry the chicken pieces and marinate with plenty of salt. Roast the dry coconut and two onions on an open flame until charred completely. Set aside to cool and add to a blender jar along with the coriander seeds and fresh leaves, green chillies, ginger, garlic, fennel and cumin seeds to grind to a fine paste.
  • Boil the potatoes until cooked through but not mushy and peel. Heat the oil in a kadhai and add the cinnamon stick and cardamom pods. Once they begin to sizzle, add the remaining onions after chopping finely and cook until soft.
  • Tip in the spice paste and cook it out completely till it is aromatic and darkens in colour slightly. Add the red chilli powder and meat masala before stirring well and season lightly with salt.
  • Once the oil begins to separate at the sides, add half a cup of water and add the chicken pieces and boiled potatoes. Cover the kadhai with a lid and cook on a medium flame for 7-10 minutes. Add the garam masala right at the end and serve hot with rice or roti, thecha and a smashed onion.