Chicken wrapped in winter flavour

Pushpesh Pant

If winter comes, can fenugreek be far behind? Hope the poet forgives us, but we can’t think beyond things that make us drool. Chicken, mutton and fish become all the more irresistible when they partner with this beautifully bitter-green vegetable. We love it in all forms — with aloo or gajar, added to karhi and pakodi, in keema and fish. However, recently, we enjoyed delicious Murgh Methi Malai at Ranikhet. The dish was rustled up on a very short notice by Bishan Tanwal and Chef Binod Kandpal at Royal Mountain, a small and cosy hotel, where young trainees of the Himalayan Institute of Hospitality Management learn kitchen craft. Truth be told, the dish surprised us most pleasantly. It seems that not only the trainees, but the trainers too have raised the bar. Do try this one at the earliest. They say naughtily: ‘Aloo-methi ki bhujiya garam hoti hai!’, but this one will warm you up even better.

Ingredients

Chicken 750 grams

Fresh methi (fenugreek) leaves 1 cup

Ginger-garlic paste 2 tbsp

Onion (chopped) 1 cup

Fenugreek leaves (methi) 1 1/2 cups

Coriander powder 1-1/2 tbsp

Oil 3-4 tbsp

Turmeric powder 1/2 teaspoon

Green chillies chopped 2 tablespoons

Black pepper powder 1/2 teaspoon

Salt to taste

Fresh cream 1/2 cup

Kasuri methi A large pinch

Method:

Prepare a marinade with whisked curd, ginger-garlic paste and salt. Apply this evenly to the chicken pieces and keep aside for 45 minutes. Heat oil in a pan and add the whole spices. When these begin to change colour, put in the chopped onions and stir fry on high flame for three to four minutes. Put in the chopped methi leaves. Cook for about 10 minutes before adding the chicken along with the marinade. Put in the powdered spices along with salt. Cover and cook on medium flame till done to taste. Stir in the fresh cream just before serving.