Methi Murg

This is one of those dishes that has been lying in my drafts for ages. Dunno why it neever got posted. Now that I'm struggling hard to make appearances in the blogging world, this draft comes to my rescue. The recipe is from Sailu's blog. Whenever I wanna try a new variety of chicken dish, I turn to Sailu and her recipes never fail me. I had prepared this on Abbas' birthday this year and many more times then on. Every time I have got rave reviews coz it's unique flavour bowls over anyone who tastes it. Mindblowing combination of methi leaves and spices, best way to promote consumption of greens by adding them in a Chicken curry that people hardly deny eating. This recipe sure is a keeper.

Ingredients:
1 kg chicken, washed and cut into medium sized pieces
1 cup packed fresh methi leaves, add little salt+sugar+water, keep aside for 15 mts and squeeze out water
2 large onions, sliced, saute in a tbsp of oil till brown and cool
1 tsp green chilli paste (2-3 green chillis)
3/4 tbsp ginger garlic paste
1 tomato, pureed
1/4 cup yogurt
large pinch turmeric pwd
3/4 tsp red chilli pwd
1 tsp coriander pwd
1/2 tsp cumin pwd
garam masala pwd (2 cloves, 1″ cinnamon, 1 elaichi)
salt to taste
7-8 cashewnuts, soak in warm water and make paste
2 tbsps oil

Method:
1. Make a paste of browned onions and curd. Keep aside.
2. Heat 2 tsps oil in a cooking vessel, add the methi leaves and saute for 7-8 mts or till they turn crisp. Remove and keep aside.
3. Heat the remaining oil in the same vessel, add ginger garlic paste and green chilli paste and saute for 3-4 mts. Add turmeric pwd, red chilli pwd, cumin pwd and coriander pwd and combine.
4. Add the tomato puree and cook for 3 mts. Add the onion-curd paste and cook for another 3 mts.
5. Add the chicken pieces and combine well. Cook on medium high flame for 3-4 mts. Reduce flame, place lid and let the chicken cook till three fourth done.
6. Add the cashewnut paste, garam masala pwd and sauteed methi leaves and combine well. Add few tbsps of water if necessary at this point of time. Cook till the chicken turns soft and you get the gravy consistency of your choice. It should be a thick creamy gravy.
7. Turn off heat and serve hot with white rice, biryani, flavored rice or rotis.