Manipuri chicken

Ingredients

700 grams country chicken (young organic chicken)
2 medium size potatoes
2 tbsp roughly pounded garlic
2 tbsp roughly pounded ginger and few thinly sliced ginger skivers
1 large onion chopped
2 tbsp garam masala(or Machal, which is an authentic Manipuri garam masala)
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp coriander seeds (roughly crush it)
2 tbsp Kashmiri chilli powder
few bay leaves
1 tsp hot chilli powder (beddgi chill should do)
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp kitchen king masala ( Everest is a good brand)
8-10 thorny coriander leaves(It’s call Awaa fadeegom in Manipuri – if you don’t have it chill!)
few coriander leaves
salt
6 tbsp of mustard oil 

Method

Wash the chicken properly and keep it aside in a bowl. Slice the onions. Pound the ginger garlic and slice  thinly some ginger. In a bowl put  the ginger, garlic, kashmiri chilli powder, hot chili powder, garam masala, turmeric, salt and a half cup of water and mix it well. Keep this aside. Take a wok. Pour oil in a wok and heat the oil till it almost smokes. Put bay leaves, crushed coriander, and cumin. Immediately, put the onion (This is to avoid the masala from getting burned). Continue to cook the onion till it becomes light brown. Drop the flame. Pour in the masala which was set aside and continue cooking for 5-6 minutes until the oil separates.

Now put the chicken into the wok, stir it well and keep the flame high. Keep stirring for 3 to 5 minutes or until the masalas coats the the chicken. Now drop the heat again and cover the wok. Every minute or so take off the lid and stir the chicken to prevent it sticking to the wok. The chicken will release its own water forming a nice gravy. Technically at this point, your chicken is done and is ready.  

However, if you like you could also  add a potato  which has been quartered or you can ignore this if you don’t like potatoes. Stir for 2 minutes now add water if you want a thinner gravy. Cook till the potatoes are done. It may take a good 15 to 20 minutes on a  low to medium flame to cook the potatoes.  

 Taste for salt. If you can get your hands on thorny coriander  or awaphadeegom  then you can use it at this stage (this is optional though) or else chop some coriander and garnish.