Sesame and Kefir Lime Chicken Curry
It's almost the start of summer here, although you wont know it if you stepped out, especially during the early morning or late evening time. Last year, this time, we were all just about getting used to the lock down and acknowledging that we wont be stepping into a restaurant anytime soon. Also, around the time, my new Kefir lime tree had just arrived (thank you amazon!). We were all tired of the usual fare but my older daughter, who is a chickenoholic, requested some chicken.
A quest to create summerish, flavorful chicken curry ensued, Kefir lime and sesame paste played together to create a flavorful chicken dish that quickly became a favorite with the family.
Note: I actually used Tahini for this this dish. If you don't have Tahini but happen to have sesame seeds, lightly roast them and grind to a paste.
Chicken Curry, flavored with kefir lime leaves and sesame paste - A Shruti original
- 1 Whole Chicken cut into 8 pieces (Or about 3.5 lbs of pre-cut chicken with a mix of bone-on and boneless pieces)
- 3 tbsp Coconut Oil (Or any cooking oil preferred)
- 2 Pods of Star Anise
- 4-5 Pods of cloves (Laung)
- 2 cup Large Red Onion (Cut into thin slices.)
- 3 tbsp Kashmiri chilli
- 2 tsp Ginger and garlic paste (Freshly grated ginger and garlic works fine too)
- Salt (to taste)
- 1/2 tsp Tumeric
- 2 tsp Coriander Powder
- 5 tbsp Sesame Paste/ Tahini
- 3-4 Kefir Lime Leaves (Sliced into thin juliens)
Heat coconut oil in a thick bottom pan. Add whole spices, and stir till fragrant (about 30 seconds). Add half of the Kefir Lime leaves and sliced onions and fry till onions are translucent.
Add Kashmiri chili followed by a splash of water. Add tumeric and coriander powder. Fry the onions, adding a splash of water a few times until you see the bright red color imparted by the Kashmiri chili.
Add bone-in pieces first. Fry on medium heat till the chicken starts to turn opaque (about 5 minutes).
Add the boneless pieces and stir. Add salt and ginger garlic paste. Fry the chicken, uncovered, on medium heat for about 30-45 minutes, or until it is almost done.
Add remaining kefir lime leaves and sesame paste.
Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked to your preferred level of doneness. Turn off heat and serve hot with rice or roti.
