Himachali Style Chicken Rara

Himachali style chicken rara has its own ground spice like mace, cloves, cinnamon sticks, cardamom, bay leaf and coriander seeds that go very well with mutton pieces. The curry has the usual, tomatoes and onions that give it a right texture to the curry. It is spicy and usually eaten with rice in Himachal areas. 

Ingredients:

500gm chicken

4 tablespoons Mustard oil

½ cup Yoghurt

1-1/2 tablespoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)

1 small tomato, finely chopped

3 Onions , thinly sliced

2 tablespoons Ginger-garlic paste

1-1/2 tablespoon Turmeric powder (Haldi)

2 tablespoons Red Chilli powder

3 tablespoons kashmiri mirch powder

2 Green Chillies , chopped

2 tablespoons Ghee

1 tablespoon Lemon juice

Coriander (Dhania) Leaves , Few sprigs, finely chopped

Sugar , A pinch

Salt , to taste

For garam masala

2 Mace (Javitri)

5 cloves Cloves (Laung)

1 inch Cinnamon Stick (Dalchini)

1 Bay leaf (tej patta)

3 Cardamom (Elaichi) Pods/Seeds

1 tablespoon Coriander (Dhania) Seeds

1 tablespoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)

1 tablespoon Nutmeg , grated

Method:

To begin making the Himachali Chicken Rara recipe, marinate the chicken pieces with yoghurt,red chilli powder, turmeric powder,a pinch of salt, lemon juice and Ginger-garlic paste.Keep aside for atleast 1hour.

Now, in a wide pan, dry roast all the garam masala ingredients except the nutmeg and grind them into a powder using a mixer grinder.

Mix nutmeg powder in this mixture and keep it aside.

Heat mustard oil in a heavy bottomed pan to smoking point and cumin seeds.

Add chopped onion,green chillies and saute for 10 minutes.

Add chopped tomato,salt and sugar.

Let it cook for 15 to 20 minutes on medium flame till tomato pieces are soft and the oil has risen to the top. Sprinkle little water.

Now mix the chicken and let it cook for 20 to 25 minutes till it is rich and fully coated with all spices.

Add ghee for the flavours. Cover the pan with a lid and let the chicken cook in its own juices for about 8 to 10 minutes.

Half way through, sprinkle 1 big tablespoon freshly grounded garam masala.

Once the chicken is tender, add some chopped coriander and mix well.

Serve Himachali Chicken Rara along with hot steamed rice or phulkas or pudina tawa paratha.