Chicken Curry No. 2

Ingredients

• 1 whole Chicken (large but tender) (Cut into pieces.)
• 1 pound Ghee (Originally 1 Seer. Can be reduced for modern preference.)
• 1 pound Onions (Originally 1 Seer.)
• 4 ounces Tamarind (seeded) (Originally 0.25 Seer.)
• 1/2 cup Poppy seeds (Khaskhas) (Originally 5 Tola. Can substitute with white sesame seeds.)
• 2 tablespoons Raw rice (Originally 2 Tola. Used for thickening.)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Cumin seeds (Originally 1.5 Tola.)
• 1 inch piece Fresh ginger (Originally 0.5 Tola.)
• 1 teaspoon Turmeric root (or powder) (Originally 0.5 Tola turmeric knots.)
• 1 cup Dry coconut (Copra) (Originally 1 cup/bowl (vati).)
• 50 kernels Roasted peanuts (Approx 1/4 cup.)
• 1 stick Cinnamon (Originally 5 Val (approx 2 grams).)
• 4 teaspoons Coriander seeds (Originally 4 small spoons.)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Salt (Or to taste. Originally 1.5 small spoons.)
• 15 seeds Cardamom seeds (Seeds only, removed from pods.)
• 7 whole Dried red chilies (Goan) (7 to 8 large chilies.)
• 1 cup Water (for tamarind) (Originally 1 pasher.)
• 3 cups Water (for cooking) (Originally 1.5 Seer.)

Instructions

1. 1Wash the tamarind and soak it in an earthenware or glass vessel with 1 cup (1 pasher) of cold water for one hour. After soaking, squeeze the tamarind thoroughly to extract the pulp, strain it to remove all husks and fibers, and set the liquid aside.
2. 2Clean and dress the chicken. Cut it into serving pieces and wash thoroughly.
3. 3Roast the coriander seeds on a skillet or tile, then crush them to remove the husks. Soak the turmeric in cold water for a short time. Remove seeds from the dried chilies. Peel the ginger and coconut.
4. 4Separately roast the chilies, cardamom seeds, rice, poppy seeds, and cumin on a skillet until they turn slightly red. Combine these roasted ingredients with the cinnamon, ginger, soaked turmeric, and peeled peanuts. Grind everything together on a stone or in a blender with a little water until very fine.
5. 5Peel the onions and slice them very finely (like vermicelli). Heat the ghee in a tinned pot or heavy-bottomed pan. Fry the onions until they are red. Add the chicken pieces and salt, mix well with a spoon, and cover the pot.
6. 6After about 5 minutes, uncover the pot and mix in the ground masala paste. Cook for another 5 minutes, uncovering once to stir and ensure the masala does not stick to the bottom.
7. 7Pour in 3 cups (1.5 Seer) of water, cover, and cook on low heat until the chicken becomes tender.
8. 8Once the chicken is tender, stir in the prepared tamarind water. Let it cook for about 5 minutes, then place the pot on very low heat (embers). Stir occasionally until the ghee separates from the gravy. Remove from heat and serve.