2.5 tbsp distilled white vinegar (see notes)
10-12 whole dry red Kashmiri chilies, broken into small pieces (or use 2.5 teaspoon cayenne powder,adjust to taste)
5 cloves (laung, buy online here)
1/4 of star anise (break the whole flower and use a quarter piece)
1/2 tsp black mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
2" cinnamon stick
scant 1/2 tbsp whole black peppercorns
2-3 tbsp warm water (or as required)
5 fat garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2" ginger shoot, roughly chopped
1.5 tbsp fresh grated coconut
1tbsp tamarind pulp (easily available in indian/pakistani grocery stores)
5 fresh curry leaves (easily available in indian/pakistani grocery stores)
6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cubed (weighed about 1.35lb, you can use cut up whole chicken or bone-in pieces too, just use dark meat portions)
1/3 cup oil, divided
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters
3/4 cup onions, finely chopped
6-8 fresh curry leaves,roughly torn
salt
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp powdered jaggery (or light brown sugar, adjust to taste)
Notes
In case you do not get tamarind pulp, bump up the vinegar quantity to 4 tbsp.
Fresh curry leaves are not substitutable. Even though the recipe dosent remain the same, you can skip if you do not get.
Method
Deseed all or half quantity of the dried chilies if you want.
In your blender jar, add vinegar, dry chillies, cloves, star anise, mustard & cumin seeds, cinnamon.
Add 2-3 tbsp warm water.
Let sit for 10 minutes.
Once the chilli skins are slightly soft & the spices have soaked, add garlic, ginger, tamarind, coconut & 5 fresh curry leaves to the jar
cover the lid and blend to a smooth paste.You can add more water (1-2 tbsp) if needed but do not make a very runny paste.
In a bowl, add the chicken, add 1/2 tsp salt and add about half of this paste, coat the chicken in the paste and let sit not more than 15 minutes.
Reserve the remaining spice paste.
While the chicken is marinating, heat up 3 tbsp oil in a heavy bottomed wide pot.
Once the oil is hot,add the quartered potatoes to the pot
sprinkle a generous pinch of salt and saute them, stirring on medium heat for 5 minutes till you see that their edges start to brown lightly.
Take out the potatoes from the pot on a plate.
Set aside.
Add the remaining oil to the pot and heat up.
Once the oil is hot, add the onions and on medium-low heat, saute the onions till they are golden brown.
About 3-5 minutes if the onions are finely chopped.
Once the onions have browned, add the reserved spice paste & torn fresh curry leaves to the pot.
Stir around and on low heat, saute continually to cook till you see that the spice paste darkens in color and the water evaporates.
About 3-4 minutes on medium heat.
Layer the marinated chicken in the pot. Turn the heat to medium high and let the chicken brown.
After about 2 minutes, flip the chicken pieces and let brown on the other side.
If you see that the heat is getting quite high, reduce it.
You will slowly see lot of liquid in the pot but that's okay.
Once the chicken has browned, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot and let cook for about 10 minutes on low heat
(adjust this time depending on how large or small your chicken pieces are).
Once the chicken is about 90 % cooked, add the browned potatoes to the pot
cover and let cook for another 10 minutes on low heat, till the chicken is completely cooked and the potatoes are fork tender
(ensure that the potatoes do not turn mushy.)
Uncover, add the jaggery (or sugar) ,water (depending on how thick/thin you want the sauce), check & adjust the salt.
Let simmer uncovered or another 5 minutes.
Let sit for 30 minutes before serving.Serve warm with steamed rice.
