Lucknow Chicken Masala

Ingredients:

• 500 grams chicken with bone (cut into medium size pieces)
• 1 + 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 150 ml tomato paste
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp. cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. sugar
• Salt to taste
• 5-6 tbsp. oil
• 1 cup water
• A few coriander leaves (for garnish)

For marinate:

• 1 tbsp. ginger paste
• 1 tbsp. garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/8 tsp. salt

For dry roast masala:

• 1/2" cinnamon stick
• 4 cloves
• 6 black peppercorn
• 1 tsp. sesame seeds
• 1 tsp. poppy seeds

Making Procedure:

Clean and wash the chicken, then place it into a colander for 20-30 minutes. Then marinate the chicken pieces with the all the ingredients of the marinate list and refrigerate it for 2 hours.

In the meantime dry roast the masala in the list and then make a paste with a little water.

Heat oil in a kadai and temper with bay leaves. Add chopped onion and fry it till some of the onion edges turn golden. Add masala paste and stir it for 2-3 minutes on low heat.

After that add the marinated chicken and stir it for 2 minutes on medium heat. Then add turmeric-cumin-red chili powder, sugar and mix well. Fry it for 5-7 minutes on medium heat.

Now add tomato paste; stir and mix it well. Cook it for 5-10 minutes on low to medium heat. Add salt and stir well (if the mixture is too dry add little water). Then put the lid on and cook it for 10-15 minutes on low heat. 

Open the lid, add water and mix well. Then cook it covered for 10-15 minutes or the chicken is tender.

Garnish with few coriander leaves. Serve hot with jeera rice, roomali or tandoori roti.