Ingredients: 1 kg chicken 1/2 cup ghee (clarified butter) * see notes 2 tsp sugar a few curry leaves 2 tbsp

chopped coriander For the marinade juice of 1 lime 1/2 cup thick curds (yogurt) 1 tsp turmeric powder salt to taste For the masala 10 Kashmiri chillies * see notes 8 Kumti/Bedgi chillies * see notes 12 peppercorns (kali mirch) 1 tbsp coriander (dhania) 1/2 tsp cumin (jeera) 1/4 tsp fenugreek (methi) *see notes 12 garlic flakes with skin 1/2 tsp tamarind paste or 1 marble size tamarind soaked in 2 tbsp water Method: 1. Cut the chicken into medium size pieces, wash & drain on a colander. Marinate it with the ingredients mentioned under 'For the marinade' and refrigerate for 4 hours or more (I marinated it for 1 hour) 2. Heat a tawa or non stick pan & dry roast the chillies, peppercorns, fenugreek , coriander & cumin seeds. Take care to see that the chillies don't burn otherwi se they will let out a bitter taste. Using a little water grind all these ingred ients along with the garlic & tamarind to a fine paste. Retain the masala water from the mixie. 3. Heat 1/4 cup of ghee in a wide thick bottomed pan and add the marinated chick en pieces and cook over an open flame till the pieces are almost cooked. Transfe r the pieces to a vessel and the liquid (gravy) to another bowl. 4. In the same pan add the remaining ghee and fry the ground masala for 5-6 minu tes or till the raw smell vanishes and the oil leaves the sides of the pan. 5. Add the fried chicken pieces 1/2 cup of the reserved liquid & salt to taste ( remember that the marinade already had salt - so go easy on the salt). Cook on a medium high flame till the masala dries up. Add the sugar & mix. 6. Garnish with curry leaves & chopped coriander leaves & turn off the flame 7. Serve hot as an appetizer or as a side dish with rice Notes: 1. You can use upto 1 cup of ghee for this dish, however I have halved it for he alth reason 2. If you wish increase the Kashmiri chillies upto 30 chillies - note that Kashm iri chillies are great for their colour but are less spicy. You can use a blend of Bedgi (medium spicy) or Harekala (very spicy) for the desired level of spice. If you prefer less spice, reduce the total number of chillies to about 6-8 or u se extra chillies without the seeds (only skins to be used) 3. Increase the Fenugreek seeds (Methi) upto 1/2 tsp if you prefer the chicken s lightly more bitter.