Dhone Patta Chicken

A couple of weekends ago I made dinner with some new Virginia friends. Among other things, we made this green chicken. I think it was the night's biggest/ spiciest hit! Credit: Bong Mom's CookBook.

First:
Marinate about 2 lbs of chicken (bone in thighs and drumsticks) Do NOT try this with chicken breast...it won't turn out the same.)
in a mix of:
1 tbsp of lime juice,
3/4 tbsp of ginger paste,
1 tsp of garlic paste,
salt
and little turmeric,
for an hour or two. Note: For a little more spice add a little cumin and corriander powder to the marinade.

Before you start cooking, make this green sauce:

In a blender make a paste of
3 cloves of garlic,
1 tbsp of chopped ginger(1 & 1/2" ginger peeled and chopped),
3-4 green chilli,
1/3 cup of chopped corriander leaves,
1 tbsp of water

Recipe:

3 tbsp of oil
1 tsp plus a pinch of Paanch Phoron ( you'll have to get this at the Indian store)
2 dried chilis, cracked
1 and 1/2 cup of chopped red onions
1/2 tsp of sugar
1 tomato
1 tsp of corriander powder
a little less than 1 tsp of cumin powder
Pinch of paprika
1/4 cup of water (not too much more than this, because the chicken will give out some water)
1/2 tumeric powder
2 cups of chopped fresh cilantro (Indian corriander)
squeeze of lemon


Heat about 3 tbsp of oil in a Kadhai or saute pan

Add about 1 tsp and little more of Paanch Phoron and 2 cracked dry red chili

When the spices become fragrant, add red onion. I went ahead and also added about 3 shallots chopped in quarters but that is optional and you can just add some more regular onion. Fry the onion with about 1/2 tsp of sugar till onions are pink and translucent, and turn brown on the edges

Add the green sauce to above and fry for a minute.

Add chopped 1 red tomato or just puree the tomato and add to above.Saute till the raw smell from the tomato is gone

Add about 1 tsp of corriander powder and almost 1 tsp of cumin powder. Some Kashmiri Mirch or Paprika gives a nice color so add about 1/2 tsp of that. With a sprinkle of water, fry the masala till it is nicely incorporated with everyting else and the whole thing looks like a brown mess with oil seeping from the edges

Add the chicken pieces and with about 1/4 tsp of turmeric saute the chicken till they turn a nice yellow color.

Add 2 cups of chopped green fresh corriander leaves, salt to taste and about 1-2 cups of water. Cover the lid and let the chicken cook.

Every time you lift the lid this beautiful fragrance will engulf you, so for your own pleasure do that. Else just let the chicken cook. Once it is done garnish with some more fresh corriander leaves.

Serve with hot white rice.