Chicken Curry (Kari Pilani)
A rich and aromatic Parsi chicken curry defined by its unique preparation of roasting aromatics before grinding. Onions, ginger, and garlic are charred to bring out a deep, smoky sweetness, then blended with roasted coriander into a fine paste. Slow-cooked in ghee until tender, this dish offers a luscious, savory gravy that pairs perfectly with rice or flatbreads.
Ingredients
- 1 whole Whole chicken, cut into pieces (Originally '1 large chicken'.)
- 1/2 cup Ghee (Originally '0.5 seer' (approx 450g/2 cups). Reduced for modern preference, but can be increased for authenticity.)
- 3 large Onions (Originally '0.5 seer' (approx 1 lb).)
- 1 tablespoon Coriander seeds (Originally '0.5 tola' (approx 6g). Cleaned/hulled.)
- 1 inch piece Ginger (Originally '0.5 tola' (approx 6g).)
- 4 cloves Garlic (Originally '0.5 tola' (approx 6g).)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Salt (Originally '1 heaping spoonful'.)
- 1 teaspoon Red chili powder (Originally '1 flat spoonful'.)
- 3 cups Water (Originally '0.75 seer' (approx 675ml).)
Instructions
- 1Clean, wash, and cut the chicken into serving pieces.
- 2Dry roast the coriander seeds in a pan until fragrant. Separately, roast the onions, ginger, and garlic until charred and softened. (Traditionally done in embers; you can use a broiler or dry pan).
- 3Combine the roasted coriander, onions, ginger, and garlic. Grind them together into a very fine paste.
- 4Heat the ghee in a large pot. Add the ground masala paste and fry until it turns reddish and aromatic. Add the chicken pieces, salt, and red chili powder. Sauté well until the chicken is seared.
- 5Pour in the cold water. Bring to a simmer and cook over low heat (originally on embers) until the chicken is fully tender and the ghee separates and floats on top.