Methi Chicken

Methi Chicken!! Methi chicken is a really tasty dish. Those of you who have tasted it know what I really mean. The gravy and its masalas, the creamy flavour and the very color of the gravy is gravitational.  And the fresh methi leaves add a completely new flavour. Just yummy. And listen closely…. This is the best way to sneak in greens into your kids’ diet 🤫. They won’t even pay any attention when they taste the yummy chicken and gravy 😆. Methi is great for your skin and hair.  This is a great side with chapati or even rice. We really enjoy this with Thengai paal sadham (coconut milk rice). I first tried this recipe after seeing it in Sailu’s Food and it was a superhit after the first try itself. Since then, it is a regular in my house, as my kids enjoy it. Give this super tasty gravy a try and tell me how it was!

Prep time:15 min| Cooking time:40 mins
Course: Side dish| Cuisine: North Indian

Ingredients:

Chicken- 1kg (cleaned and cut into medium sized pieces)

Methi leaves (fenugreek)- 1 cup packed

Onion-2(large)

Tomatoes-2(make puree and keep ready)

Green chilies- 2 to 3(make paste)

Ginger garlic paste- ¾th tblsp

Curd-1/4^th cup

Red chili powder-3/4^th tsp

Coriander powder- 1tsp

Cumin powder- ½ tsp

Garam masala powder-1 tsp

Turmeric powder- a large pinch

Salt- to taste

Cashews-7 to 8(soak in warm water and make a fine paste)

Oil-2 tblsps

Method:

1.      Wash and clean methi leaves twice or thrice to get rid of dirt and sand. Add a little salt and sugar to water and keep the methi leaves immersed in that for 15 mins. Squeeze out water and keep ready.

2.      Heat a little oil in a kadai and add the onions. Sauté it until it turns brown in colour. Cool it down. Make a paste of the onion and curd and keep aside.

3.      Heat 2 tsp oil in a kadai and add the methi leaves and sauté it for 7 to 8 mins or till they turn crisp. Remove and keep aside.

4.      Heat the remaining oil in the same kadai and add ginger garlic paste and green chilly paste and sauté it for 3 to 4 mins.

5.      Add turmeric powder, chilly powder,coriander powder and cumin powder and mix well. Fry until raw smell leaves.

6.      Add the tomato puree and cook for 3 mins. Add the onion-curd paste and cook for another 3 mins.

7.      Add the chicken pieces and mix well. Cook on medium flame for 3 to 4 mins. Reduce the flame and cover and cook the chicken until three fourth cooked.

8.      Add the cashew paste, garam masala and sautéed methi leaves and mix well. If the gravy is thick add a little water to adjust the consistency. Cook until chicken becomes soft.

9.      Switch off the flame and serve it with any rice of your choice or even with rotis.

Notes:

·        I have used Kashmiri red chili powder to get that beautiful colour.

·        Take care to wash the methi leaves well, so that there is no dirt in it.

·        Increase spice levels according to your preference.

·        Add water according to the consistency of gravy you prefer.

Step by step pictures

clean and soak methi in water along with 

salt and sugar for fifteen minutes

drain and keep aside

soak cashew in hot water for sometime

 and make a smooth paste and keep ready 

heat oil in a kadai and add onion

fry in medium flame until

 onion turns brown

grind the onion along with curd 

and make a smooth paste

heat oil in a kadai.

add the methi leaves and fry for 7 to 8 minutes

remove and keep aside

to the same kadai, add some more oil

add ginger garlic paste and fry until

raw smell goes away.

then add green chili paste

fry for sometime

now add red chili powder, coriander powder,

cumin powder and turmeric powder.

fry well until raw smell goes away

 add tomato puree

give it a stir for 3 to 4 minutes

now add the onion and curd paste.

stir again for 3 to 4 minutes

 add the chicken pieces.

mix everything well

close with a lid and cook until chicken

is three fourth done

once chicken is three fourth cooked, add the 

sauteed methi leaves, garam masala 

and cashew paste. cook for few more  minutes.

once the desired gravy consistency 

is obtained and chicken is cooked fully, 

switch off flame.