Sindhi Bhugal Chicken

Name: Sindhi Bhugal Chicken
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: indian
Ingredients: 700 g chicken (bone-in, cut into medium curry pieces); 3 pcs onion (medium, thinly sliced); 2 pcs tomato (medium, finely chopped); 0.5 cup yogurt (plain, whisked); 2 tbsp oil; 2 tsp ginger-garlic paste; 2 pcs green chili (slit); 1 tsp cumin seeds; 6 pcs black peppercorns; 4 pcs cloves; 3 pcs green cardamom (lightly crushed); 1 inch cinnamon (small stick); 1 pinch turmeric powder; 0.5 tsp red chili powder; 1 tsp coriander powder; 1 pinch garam masala; 0.5 tsp salt; 1 cup water (hot, adjust for gravy); 2 tbsp coriander leaves (chopped, for garnish)

RATING

4.2/5(32)

TASTE SCORE

8/10

This homestyle Sindhi chicken curry is built on slow-browned onions, yogurt, and warm spices for a rich, deeply savory gravy. It is hearty without being too heavy and tastes wonderful with phulka, roti, or plain rice.

PREP

20m

COOK

45m

SERVES

1 KATORI

403 cal

SERVINGS

METHOD · 8 STEPS

prep · ~10 min
Prepare the chicken and masala ingredients.
1.Wash the chicken pieces and pat them dry.
2.Slice the onions thinly and chop the tomatoes finely.
3.Whisk the yogurt until smooth so it mixes easily into the curry.
saute · ~15 min
Brown the onions and whole spices.
1.Heat oil in a heavy pan over medium heat.
2.Add cumin seeds, black peppercorns, cloves, green cardamom, and cinnamon.
3.When the spices smell fragrant, add the sliced onions.
4.Cook the onions, stirring often, until deep golden brown.
TIPTake your time here. The browned onions give bhugal chicken its deep color and rich flavor.
saute · ~7 min
Cook the ginger-garlic paste and tomatoes.
1.Add ginger-garlic paste and slit green chilies to the pan.
2.Cook for 1 minute until the raw smell fades.
3.Add chopped tomatoes and cook until soft and pulpy.
saute · ~7 min
Add the ground spices and chicken.
1.Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala, and salt.
2.Mix for a few seconds so the spices bloom in the onion mixture.
3.Add the chicken pieces and coat them well in the masala.
4.Cook on medium-high heat until the chicken loses its raw pink color.
TIPStir continuously after adding the spice powders so they do not catch and turn bitter.
simmer · ~7 min
Add yogurt and bhugal the chicken.
Lower the heat and add the whisked yogurt gradually, stirring well after each addition. Cook until the masala looks glossy and starts leaving the sides of the pan.
TIPKeep the heat low while adding yogurt so it stays smooth and does not split.
simmer · ~20 min
Cook the curry until tender.
Add hot water, mix well, cover, and cook on low heat until the chicken is tender and the gravy turns thick and flavorful. Stir once or twice during cooking.
garnish
Garnish with coriander leaves.
serve
Serve hot with roti or plain rice.

PRO TIPS

What to keep in mind.

7 tips from the recipe — small details that make a real difference to the final dish.

1
Brown the onions to a deep golden, not just soft; that color is what gives bhugal chicken its characteristic dark gravy.
2
Pat the chicken dry before it goes into the pan so it sears in the masala instead of watering it down.
3
Add the whisked yogurt in small additions on low heat to keep the gravy smooth and prevent curdling.
4
Use hot water, not cold, when loosening the masala so the chicken keeps cooking evenly and the oil doesn't seize.
5
Cook until the masala starts leaving the sides of the pan before adding extra water; that bhunao stage builds depth.
6
Bone-in pieces work best here because they release more flavor into the gravy during the covered simmer.
7
This curry tastes even better after a short rest, so let it sit 10 minutes before serving for the gravy to settle.

RECIPE VARIATIONS

Adapt it for your goals.

low oil

Low-oil

Use 1 tablespoon oil and brown the onions more slowly, adding tiny splashes of hot water as needed; you'll get a lighter curry with much of the same depth.

boneless