Coriander Chicken Curry

Chicken in a spicy cilantro gravy.

Ingredients:
Chicken - about 500 gms
Red Onion - 1 big
Tomatoes - 2 medium
Cumin/Jeera Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Bay Leaf - 1
Salt
Oil

Cilantro/Coriander Leaves - 1 cup
Green Chillies - 10
Turmeric/Haldi - 1/4 tsp
Garlic - 8 big cloves
Ginger - an inch piece
Yogurt/Curd - 4 tbsp

Dry Red Chillies (Byadagi Variety) - 2
Coriander/Dhania Seeds - 1 tbsp
Poppy Seeds/Khuskhus - 1 tbsp
Cloves/Long/Lavang - 5
Cinnamon/Dalchini - a small piece

Method:
1. Grind cilantro leaves, green chillies, ginger, garlic, turmeric, 1/2 tsp salt and yogurt to a fine paste.  I used 2 chicken breasts.  Marinate washed chicken pieces in this paste for 2 - 3 hours or overnight.  Keep it refrigerated.

2. Heat about 1 tsp oil in a pan.  Fry the dry red chillies till they turn crisp.  Keep it aside.  Add coriander seeds, poppy seeds, cloves and cinnamon and fry till the spices turn aromatic.  Let the spices cool.

3. Roughly dice tomatoes.  Grind tomatoes, fried red chillies and fried spices together to a fine paste.  Add little water if required.

4. Finely chop onions.  Heat a pan and add 1 - 2 tbsp oil.  Add a bay leaf, cumin seeds and after few seconds, add chopped onions.  Saute till onions turn slightly brown.  

5. Now add the marinated chicken pieces.  Saute to mix and cook it covered for 8 - 10 minutes.  Check with the spatula if chicken is cooked.  After chicken gets cooked, add the ground tomato and spice paste.

6. Mix and cook it covered for 5 - 10 minutes at low flame.  Check for salt and cook till you get the desired consistency.

7. Serve hot coriander chicken with roti or bread or steamed rice.