Tari Wala Chicken

Name: Tari Wala Chicken
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: north_indian
Ingredients: 600 g chicken (bone-in curry cut pieces, skin removed); 2 pcs onion (medium, finely chopped); 2 pcs tomato (medium, finely chopped); 1 inch ginger (crushed); 6 pcs garlic (cloves, crushed); 2 pcs green chili (slit); 2 tbsp mustard oil; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 1 pcs bay leaf; 1 pinch turmeric powder; 0.5 tsp red chili powder; 1 tsp coriander powder; 1 pinch garam masala; 0.5 tsp salt; 2.5 cup water (hot, for gravy); 2 tbsp coriander leaves (chopped)

RATING

4.4/5(85)

TASTE SCORE

8/10

This homestyle North Indian chicken curry is all about a light, flavorful tari made with onion, tomato, and warm spices. It stays brothy rather than thick, making it perfect with roti or a small serving of rice.

PREP

20m

COOK

40m

SERVES

1 KATORI

326 cal

SERVINGS

METHOD · 8 STEPS

prep · ~10 min
Prep the chicken and masala ingredients.
1.Wash the chicken pieces and drain well.
2.Chop the onion and tomato finely.
3.Crush the ginger and garlic together.
4.Slit the green chilies and keep the coriander leaves ready.
temper · ~2 min
Heat the oil and crackle the whole spices.
Heat mustard oil in a kadai until lightly smoking, then lower the heat. Add cumin seeds and bay leaf and let them sizzle for a few seconds.
TIPLetting mustard oil reach the smoking point softens its sharp raw taste.
saute · ~8 min
Cook the onion, ginger, garlic, and chilies.
1.Add the chopped onion and cook until light golden (5-7 min).
2.Add crushed ginger, garlic, and green chilies.
3.Sauté until the raw smell goes away and the mixture smells fragrant (1-2 min).
saute · ~7 min
Cook the tomatoes and ground spices.
1.Add the chopped tomato and cook until soft and pulpy (4-5 min).
2.Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, and salt.
3.Mix well and cook until the masala looks glossy and leaves a little oil at the edges (2-3 min).
TIPIf the masala starts sticking, splash in 1 or 2 tablespoons of water instead of adding more oil.
saute · ~8 min
Coat the chicken in the masala.
Add the chicken pieces and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the pieces lose their raw pink color and are well coated with the masala.
simmer · ~25 min
Add water and simmer the curry.
1.Pour in the hot water and stir well, scraping up any masala from the pan.
2.Bring the curry to a gentle boil.
3.Cover and cook on low heat until the chicken is tender and the tari is flavorful but still light (20-25 min).
TIPTari wala chicken should have a thin, spoonable gravy, so do not reduce it too much.
garnish · ~1 min
Finish with garam masala and coriander leaves.
Sprinkle in the garam masala and chopped coriander leaves. Simmer for 1 minute more so the flavors settle.
serve
Serve the tari wala chicken hot.

PRO TIPS

What to keep in mind.

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

1
Drain the chicken well before adding it, or the masala will steam instead of bhuno properly.
2
Heat mustard oil until just smoking, then lower the flame before tempering so the curry keeps its classic flavor without bitterness.
3
Cook the onions only to light golden, not deep brown, to keep the tari light and homestyle rather than dark and heavy.
4
Use hot water for the gravy so the chicken keeps simmering steadily and the oil does not split suddenly.
5
If the tari reduces too much, add a small splash of hot water and simmer briefly to restore the thin, spoonable consistency.
6
Bone-in pieces give the broth more flavor; give larger pieces a few extra minutes until they are tender near the bone.
7
Rest the curry for 10 minutes after finishing so the garam masala and coriander settle into the broth.

RECIPE VARIATIONS

Adapt it for your goals.

low oil

Low-oil

Reduce mustard oil slightly and use small splashes of water while bhunoing the masala; good if you want the same homestyle flavor with a lighter finish.

spicier