sunday roast

Sunday Special Lunch – A Family Tradition

What a Sunday Roast is to a traditional English Family Sunday Lunch is what the combination of Spicy Chicken Gravy and Jeera rice or layered Chicken Biryani is to my family. My sister and I, have been brought on such wholesome, hearty, home-made totally from scratch – delicious food.

All these divine yet easy to recreate dishes, which my parents have always cooked with great passion and a lot of effort are what fuel my desire to share them with all of you.

My Aai and Baba ( Mum and Dad in Marathi) who wake up early every Sunday morning and work as a team to produce this brilliantly tasty chicken curry. Saturday morning my Baba would take me with him to te butcher to buy fresh chicken curry pieces. After coming home he would very patiently explain to us how he marinates the bird using all the freshly ground pastes and purees that Aai used to prepare while he was out shopping. On Sunday morning they would again team up to cook us the most amazing lunch. My best memories of Sunday morning are of waking up to the aromas of food wafting through the house.

Keeping the tradition alive

Few years ago when my husband and I moved to London, I was determined to keep this Sunday family tradition alive. I cooked the chicken adding my own twists and trying my best to recreate the same flavour that my parents seem to get spot-on every single time! So, when they came to London to visit us shortly after we had moved here, I was super delighted that they would cook this special Sunday family meal for us. As promised they cooked us their Sunday special while hubby and I eagerly took notes, clicked pictures and took in the whole energy they bring to this whole process.

This recipe is a spicier version of our traditional Sunday Chicken curry. The bord is cooked in thick gravy bursting with flavour. My Baba loves serving this with Jeera Rice and a beautifully simple Maharahstian Kakdichi Koshimbir in Dahi – Cucumber yoghurt raita. I hope you will enjoy cooking up this dish and hopefully creating happy family memories of your own.

Spicy Chicken – Chitnis Family Sunday Special recipe

My family’s Sunday Special Chicken curry recipe

manjirichitnis

A spicy and easy traditional Indian chicken curry recipe

5 from 4 votes

Print Recipe

Cook Time 25 mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Servings 4

Equipment

Large heavy bottomed pot with Lid/Pressure cooker/ Instant Pot / slow cooker
Spice grinder
Blender
Knife
Chopping Board

Ingredients

For marinating overnight

1.25 Kilos Chicken – curry pieces / 1 medium sized whole
25 gm fresh coriander
1 tbsp toasted Dhane/coriander seeds
1 tsp Toasted Jeere/ Cumin
3 cloves Lasun/Garlic
15 gms Aale/Ginger
2 Dry Laal Mirchya/ Red Chillies
2 Dry Kashmiri Laal Mirchya/ Red Chillies
2 Hirvya Mirchya/ Spicy Green chillies
2.5 tsp Halad/Turmeric powder
2 tsp Meeth/Salt
1 tbsp Tel/ Cooking Oil

Tomato-Onion Mix for the gravy

1 tbsp from the marinade above
2 medium Ripe Tomatoes
2 medium Kaande/Red Onions/ Bombay Onions
2 cloves Lasun/Garlic
10 gm Aale/Fresh Ginger
5 gm Fresh coriander leaves

For the Phodni/ Tadka

2 tbsp Tel/ Oil
1 tbsp Sajuk Tuj/ Pure ghee
2 Tamalpatra/Bay Leaves
1 small piece of Dalchini/Cinnamon stick
Pinch Hing/Asafoetida
3 tbsp Garam Masala
2 tsp Coriander powder
2 tsp Halad/ Turmeric powder
3 tsp Laal Tikhat/ Extra Hot Red chilli powder
1 tsp Meeth/ Salt – or as per taste

Garnish

One dry red Kashmiri chilli and one green chilli sautéed insome oil /ghee
Few fresh leaves of coriander to tear and scatter on top

Instructions

Wash the chicken curry pieces and place in a large mixing bowl. I always use chicken without skin
Make a thick paste in the mixer-grinder/ blender using all theingredients , asfmentionedabove for the marinade.Ensure the consistency is that of a thick paste and not a watery mixture
Using a sharp knife make small cuts to the chicken flesh to allow the marinade to really penetrate inside the chicken, this will ensure that each piece is flavourful and not just from the outside
Apply the marinade onto the washed chicken curry pieces, season with some salt and a splash of oil. Mariante overnight in the refigerator
The next day get the marinated chicken out of the refrigerator about an hour before cooking
While the chicken is coming to room temperature, make the puree usingall the ingredients as mentioned above for the tomato and onion mixture. Ensure this mixture it is not watery. Set aside.
Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pan or a pressure cooker
When the oil is hot, add the asafoetida, sauté the bay leaf and cinnamon stick (dry red kashmiri chilli at this stage is optional)
Add the garam masala, coriander powder and sauté
Then add the onion-tomato mixture and cook for under two minutes until the mixture thickens
Now add in the marinated chicken stir and some water, mix well. Add the red chilli powder turmeric powder and salt
Add just enough water to allow for a thick gray. Stir , cover and cook on a medium flame until the gravy begins to boil
Cover and cook until the chicken is totally cooked through and the oil seperates, this shoud take approximately 20 minutes on a low flame. Stir occasionaly to ensure the gravy does not dry out In the pressure cooker this takes two whistles – for a large bird three whistles
Garnish with roughly chopped fresh coriander leaves and the fried red kashmiri chilli and green chilli
Serve hot with a side of pipping hot jeera rice and some cucumber raita