Garlic chilli chicken

Garlic chilli chicken is the bomb. Do it.

Ingredients

• 1kg chicken thighs (boneless)
• 450g white onions
• 1 star anise
• Small piece cinnamon stick
• 4 Tbsp garlic paste
• 2 Tbsp curry powder/mix powder/bassar
• 2 Tsp garam masala
• 1 Tsp turmeric
• 1/2 Tbsp tandoori masala powder
• 12 green finger chillies
• 1 Tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp coconut milk powder
• 8-16 cloves of sliced garlic
• 1 Tbsp mango chutney (optinal)
• 6 Tbsp tomato puree (mix with a splash of water)
• 1 Tsp hot chilli powder
• 1 Tsp chilli flakes
• 2 Tsp kashmiri chilli powder
• 1 tsp kasoori methi
• 500ml boiling water (even better, use onion water)
• 150ml of oil
• Coriander to garnish

Method

1. Cross-cut the onions and boil for 10 minutes.
2. Syphon off 500ml of the onion water and then blend the onions until they turn into a smooth purée.
3. Char the green finger chillies (sliced in half lengthways) in the pan (no oil!) to roast/toast them off a bit. Set aside.
4. Add a bit oil to pan and gently fry off 8 sliced garlic cloves until they soften and go slightly translucent (about 1 minute frying off). Set aside.
5. Add 150ml of oil, heat up and add onion paste. Fry off for 8 minutes.
6. Add star anise, cinnamon and garlic paste. Stir in and fry for 1 minute.
7. Add all of the spices (including the coconut milk powder) except the kasoori methi. Stir into the paste and fry off for a minute.
8. Add the tomato paste and stir well.
9. Add chicken thighs to the paste, stir in. Then add the onion water and mix well. Cook for 10 minutes with the lid on.
10. Add the charred green finger chillies and the fried garlic (save a few for garnish if you like). Cook for another 10 minutes with the lid off.
11. Add kasoori methi and salt to taste, make final adjustments (salt, water etc if needed). Then the mango chutney if using.
12. Plate up, garnish with coriander.