Chicken Bhuna Recipe

"Bhuna" doesn't actually refer to a curry - the word describes the cooking process of spices, where they are fried over a medium heat to reveal their favours. Below is my chicken bhuna recipe that follows this method of cooking. The chicken breast meat is added to the spices and basically cooks in it's own juice.

You'll need a couple of hours to prepare the recipe and another 30 minutes to cook. It'll feed 4 people, and it's worth it!

Curry ingredients:

4 chicken breasts, 6 tbsp plain natural yoghurt, 2 garlic cloves, 1 tsp garam masala, 1 lemon, tsp turmeric, 1 tbsp paprika, 3 cardamoms, tbsp salt, 1 tbsp ground chilli, 1 tbsp cumin, vegetable oil, olive oil, fresh coriander.

Pilau rice ingredients:

2 cups basmati rice, 1 onion, 1 clove of garlic, cinnamon stick, 2 cardamom pods, 1 tbsp fennel seeds, vegetable oil.

Method: Preparing the Chicken

1. Pour the yoghurt into a bowl with the spices (garam masala, turmeric, paprika and cumin). Add the salt, chilli and cardamoms (husk removed), and crush in the garlic.

2. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice into the mixture. Stir together well.

3. Cut the chicken breasts into mouth-sized pieces and add to the marinade, and allow it to stand for at least two hours.

Method: Pilau Rice

1. Put a saucepan over a medium heat and add a tablespoon of olive oil. Finely chop the onion and once sufficiently hot, add to the pan and fry.

2. Add the rice to the pan once it has been washed thoroughly with cold water. Add in the garlic (crushed), cinnamon, fennel seeds and cardamom. Pour cold water over the rice until it's totally covered and turn up the heat.

3. When the water begins to boil you need to leave it boilding for 5 minutes. Then, put the lid on the pan and turn off the heat. Leave it to stand for 20 minutes.

Method: The Curry

1. Place a frying pan over a high heat and pour in 1 tablespoon of oil. When the oil is hot add the chicken to the pan. Fry it on the heat until the chicken is cooked through.

2. Add the garam masala and coriander and fry for another 30 seconds.

3. Put the rice around the edge of 4 plates and add the chicken in the middle - just the way my mum used to! Serve with a naan bread to mop up any leftovers.

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