Garlic Chicken Handi
A dish perfect for both garlic lovers and the more cautious eaters. The garlic cooks down to a mellow sweetness that pairs wonderfully with the spicy chicken.
This dish is named after the earthenware pot it is traditionally cooked in. A Handi is a deep, wide pot with a lid and slightly curved sides. In the modern kitchen any heavy bottomed, wide pan with a lid would do, as long as it is at least 2 inches deep.
As the name suggests, this recipe uses a lot of garlic. The quantity of garlic used may seem daunting to some, but the moderate cooking time means the garlic cooks down well and lends this dish a mellow depth and richness, rather than a pungent kick. Feel free to adjust the quantity of garlic used, but I would encourage the faint of heart to try the recipe as written. You will not be disappointed.
This recipe would work equally well with 500g diced boneless lamb, either shoulder or the more tender neck fillet. The cooking time may need to be adjusted slightly to cater for tougher cuts of meat.
In a medium sized bowl, mix the chicken pieces with the vinegar, onion, garlic, ginger and fresh green chilli (if using). Leave to marinate for 30 mins at room temperature or longer in the fridge. If short on time, you can proceed to step 2 straight away, but it will lessen the garlic flavour somewhat.
Over a medium flame, heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pan and add the marinated chicken pieces (along with all the onion, garlic and ginger bits) to the pan and fry for about 15 mins till nicely browned and fragrant. Don’t rush this step. Take your time to make sure you get a nice colour on the chicken and onions.
Add the Laal Spice Blend and salt and fry for 30 seconds, stirring to make sure the spices don’t burn.
Next, add the yoghurt to the chicken and fry for another 30 seconds.
Add a couple tablespoons of water to the chicken if it looks too dry, cover with the lid and turn the heat down to low. Simmer for 5 minutes till the chicken is tender and the sauce has cooked down and thickened.
15 Minutes
Add in the Sona Spice Blend, cover and simmer for a further 5 minutes.
5 Minutes
At this point, the fragrant rich, brown sauce should be clinging to the chicken pieces, and the oil should begin to separate. If it looks too wet, just cook for a few more minutes without the lid till the sauce thickens and drapes the chicken pieces.
Mix in the fresh coriander and mint off the heat. Cover and let the flavours of the fresh herbs infuse into the chicken for 5 minutes.
5 Minutes
Ingredients
Directions
In a medium sized bowl, mix the chicken pieces with the vinegar, onion, garlic, ginger and fresh green chilli (if using). Leave to marinate for 30 mins at room temperature or longer in the fridge. If short on time, you can proceed to step 2 straight away, but it will lessen the garlic flavour somewhat.
Over a medium flame, heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pan and add the marinated chicken pieces (along with all the onion, garlic and ginger bits) to the pan and fry for about 15 mins till nicely browned and fragrant. Don’t rush this step. Take your time to make sure you get a nice colour on the chicken and onions.
Add the Laal Spice Blend and salt and fry for 30 seconds, stirring to make sure the spices don’t burn.
Next, add the yoghurt to the chicken and fry for another 30 seconds.
Add a couple tablespoons of water to the chicken if it looks too dry, cover with the lid and turn the heat down to low. Simmer for 5 minutes till the chicken is tender and the sauce has cooked down and thickened.
15 Minutes
Add in the Sona Spice Blend, cover and simmer for a further 5 minutes.
5 Minutes
At this point, the fragrant rich, brown sauce should be clinging to the chicken pieces, and the oil should begin to separate. If it looks too wet, just cook for a few more minutes without the lid till the sauce thickens and drapes the chicken pieces.
Mix in the fresh coriander and mint off the heat. Cover and let the flavours of the fresh herbs infuse into the chicken for 5 minutes.
5 Minutes