Murg Achari

Ingredients and Method:

8 Chicken tenderloins
Marinade for chicken:
  - Olive oil
  - 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
  - 1/4 tsp red chilli powder
  - 1/2 tsp ginger garlic paste
  - 1 tsp Shaan tandoori bbq masala
  - 2 tbsp yogurt (only if you are going to grill the chicken*)

For the paste:
- 2 medium onions, finely diced
- 1/2 tsp ginger garlic paste
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tsp Shaan Achar Gosth Masala
- Butter
- 2 to 3 tbsp of Kasoori Methi
- Heavy cream

Vegetables:
Cut 1 green pepper into square pieces. Microwave them in a bowl full of water for about 3 to 5 minutes. Peppers should be soft and cooked but not too mushy. Drain water and keep aside.

Step 1: Preparing the chicken.
Wash and pat dry the chicken. Drizzle olive oil and then marinate the chicken with the ingredients listed above and set aside for atleast 1/2 hour.  Bake the chicken in an oven. I used chicken tenderloins so they were cooked in about 15 minutes. If you use regular chicken breast, you may need more time depending on how big your pieces are. Do not overcook the chicken in this process, because when we add it to the curry it will continue to cook more. If you use chicken with bone, the cooking time will increase even more. Safe to use chicken breast or tenderloin if you are going to follow this recipe to the tee!
Note: For optimum results, this curry requires bbq grilled chicken. If you are going to grill the chicken, add the yogurt to the marinade. If you plan to cook the chicken in the oven itself, skip the yogurt as the yogurt leaves too much water.

Step 2: Making the paste
Alright - same as every curry we make...Heat oil, add the ginger garlic paste and stir until raw smell is gone on low heat. Add the onions and sautee till translucent. Add the tomato paste and mix the onions and tomato paste by adding a little water. now begins the cooking stage which will take atleast 20 minutes, keep adding water a little at time and cooking the paste until the onions and tomato paste form a thick lump. Add the Achar Goshth Masala 10 minutes into the paste cooking stage. Throughout this stage, use the spatula to what I call "Stabbing the onions".  Holding the spatula upright, stab the onions so they breakdown faster.  Now turn the heat high and let all the water evaporate, some oil should leave the sides of the paste. Set aside in another bowl.

Step 3: In the same pan, heat butter. Keep the heat on medium. Add kasoori methi and keep stirring the methi in the pan. Methi will burn quickly so keep working the spatula. Stir only for a few seconds. Add the onion tomato paste we made. Add the chicken and mix well. Add very little water and mix well. Add a little tandoori chicken bbq masala for color and mix well. Add a little heavy cream and mix. Cook on medium heat till the curry leaves some oil.

Achari Murgh is ready.