Balti Chicken

The sauce is delicious and easy to make.  Balti refers to a British-style of cooking Indian inspired dishes served in a steel wok-like ‘balti bowl’.

1 whole chicken skinned and cut up
3 T olive oil
2 or 3 onions, sliced thin
large can of whole peeled tomatoes

1 stick of cinnamon, 1-2″
2 cardamom pods
4 black peppercorns
1/2 t cumin seeds
1 t ginger pulp
2 or 3 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed
2 fresh green chili peppers, chopped
1 t garam masala
1 t chili powder
1 t salt

1/2 c plain yogurt

4 T lemon juice
1/8-1/4 c fresh cilantro, chopped fine
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Heat oil in a wok or large heavy bottom pot over medium heat, add onions and cook until golden. Add all the spices, including the ginger, garlic and chili peppers and cook for a minute until blended and fragrent. Add tomatoes, lower heat and cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Now add the chicken pieces, two at a time and cook for about 10 minutes, turning frequently to allow spice mixtures to penetrate fully. Add the yogurt and mix carefully. Lower heat, cover the pan and simmer gently for half an hour.

Once chicken is done, add the lemon juice and cilantro and serve.

Adapted from a recipe in Indian by Shehzad Husain & Rafi Hernandez, page 42