Fowl Dopenaji

Ingredients

• 500 grams Chicken (bone-in pieces) (Cut into large pieces. 1/2 seer is approximately 500 g. Bone-in thighs and drumsticks work well for beginners.)
• 60 grams Ghee (Approximately 1/2 powa (about 4 tablespoons). Clarified butter can be substituted.)
• 240 grams Onions (Approximately 1 powa (about 2 medium onions). Slice thinly.)
• 4 cloves Garlic cloves (A few pieces — roughly 3 to 5 cloves. Leave whole or lightly crush.)
• 6 grams Salt (Approximately 1 tola (about 1 teaspoon). Divided: some for the chicken, a pinch for frying onions.)
• 3 leaves Cassia leaves (tej patta / Indian bay leaves) (A few leaves. These are Indian bay leaves, not Mediterranean bay leaves — use tej patta if available.)
• 1.5 grams Turmeric (Approximately 1/4 tola (about 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric).)
• 1.5 grams Garam masala (Approximately 1/4 tola (about 1/4 teaspoon). Use a pre-ground blend.)
• 3 grams Black pepper (Approximately 1/2 tola (about 1/2 teaspoon ground, or grind whole peppercorns).)
• 3 grams Cumin (Approximately 1/2 tola (about 1/2 teaspoon ground, or grind whole seeds).)
• 3 grams Coriander (Approximately 1/2 tola (about 1/2 teaspoon ground, or grind whole seeds).)
• 500 millilitres Water (Approximately 1/2 seer (about 2 cups). Used to make the spiced water.)
• 4 whole Cloves (whole) (A few cloves — roughly 3 to 5 whole cloves.)

Instructions

1. 1Cut the chicken into large bone-in pieces if not already done. Place the pieces in a bowl and sprinkle over most of the salt (reserving a small pinch for the onions later). Toss well so the salt coats all the pieces evenly. Set aside while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
2. 2Measure out the turmeric, garam masala, black pepper, cumin, and coriander. Combine them in a small bowl or mortar and pestle and grind them together into a fine paste — add a splash of water if needed to help them combine. Once you have a paste, stir it into the 500 ml of water until fully dissolved. This is your spiced water. Set it aside.
3. 3Peel the onions and slice them thinly into half-moon shapes. Divide the sliced onions into two roughly equal portions — you will fry one half now and the other half later in the main cooking pot.
4. 4Heat a small frying pan over medium heat and add a small amount of ghee from your measured quantity (just enough to coat the pan — roughly 1 teaspoon). Add the first half of the sliced onions and a small pinch of salt. Fry, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden brown and slightly crispy, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside on a plate — these will be used as a garnish at the end.
5. 5In a large, heavy-bottomed pan or pot, heat the remaining ghee over medium-high heat until it is hot and shimmering — this is what the recipe means by 'boil the ghee'. Add the whole cloves, cassia leaves (tej patta), and garlic cloves. Fry for about 1 to 2 minutes, stirring, until the cloves begin to swell slightly and the garlic takes on a little colour. The ghee will become very fragrant.
6. 6Add the second half of the sliced raw onions to the pan with the ghee and whole spices. Stir to coat with the ghee. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions turn a light golden brown — this should take about 6 to 8 minutes. Do not let them burn; reduce the heat slightly if needed.
7. 7Add the salted chicken pieces to the pan. Increase the heat to medium-high. Stir constantly for about 20 minutes. As you stir and the pan looks dry, add the spiced water a little at a time — a few tablespoons at a go — stirring it in and letting it cook down before adding more. The idea is to keep the chicken cooking and absorbing flavour without letting it stew in liquid. Keep stirring and adding small amounts of spiced water as needed throughout this 20-minute period.
8. 8Pour in any remaining spiced water that you have not yet added to the pan. Stir once to combine, then place a lid on the pan. Reduce the heat to low and let the chicken cook, covered, until all the liquid has been absorbed and no soup remains in the pan — check every 5 minutes and give it a gentle stir to prevent sticking. This may take a further 10 to 15 minutes depending on your pan and heat level. The chicken is done when the pieces are cooked through and the pan looks nearly dry with only the ghee and spice coating remaining.
9. 9Remove the pan from the heat. Transfer the chicken pieces to a serving dish. Scatter the golden fried onions you set aside in step 4 over the top of the chicken. Serve immediately.