Chicken Lajawaab

Chicken Lajawaab, as the name suggests it truly is a special dish with rich ingredients. There is no one particular recipe as such for this dish. Depending on the region and the traditional background all across India, the recipe has been tweaked and twisted. However, the main essence and most of the ingredients are same. The recipe am going to share here is a twist of that followed in Hyderabad without missing the main essence and taste of the dish......

Cooking Time:  30 mins                                                                             Servings: 4 
Preparation Time: 20 mins                                                                        Category:  Main-course, Non-Veg

Ingredients
Boneless Chicken - 250 gms

Chicken Lajawaab

Onion paste - 2 cups (4-5 onions)
Cumin seeds - 2 tsps
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Pepper corns - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Red chilli powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Red Chillies - 4-5 
Yogurt - 1 cup
Cashew Nut paste - 1/2 cup
Garam Masala powder - 1/2 tsp (optional)
Ghee - 2 Tbsps.
Salt to taste
Ginger flakes & finely chopped coriander - for garnish


Preparation Method 

• Wash the chicken pieces thoroughly and soak it in water for about half an hour.
• Heat ghee in a pan and add cumin, mustard seeds and pepper corns. Saute it for couple of mins. Add red chillies and saute for another 2 mins.
• Now add onion paste and saute until it starts turning golden brown in color.
• Add the cashew nut paste and mix well.
• After 2 mins, remove the chicken pieces from water and add them to this paste. Mix well and let it cook for 5 mins.
• Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt to taste and mix well.
• When the dish starts to ooze out ghee, add yogurt and the chicken stock (water in which chicken was soaked). Mix well and let it simmer for 15 mins.
• Lower the flame, add garam masala powder and mix the dish well.
• Turn of the stove, take the dish into a serving bowl and garnish it with ginger flakes and chopped coriander.
• Serve hot with Indian bread, naan, romali roti or steam rice, pulav etc.