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This comforting meal pairs the bold, tangy flavours of a traditional north Indian chicken curry with the aromatic crunch of a Bengali cabbage stir-fry. The distinctive flavour of achari murgh comes from its rich blend of pickling spices, all simmered gently in a spiced yoghurt gravy. It’s a dish that originates from the royal kitchens of the Begum of Bhopal in the 19th century and, as such, has always been a bit of a culinary statement – both a creative experiment and a showcase of refined taste, though, despite its unusual spice profile, the method is simple and unpretentious. The moreish crunch of the cabbage side, meanwhile, lifted by crisp cashews and warming spices, balances the chicken’s tangy richness beautifully.
Achari murgh, or north Indian chicken curry (pictured top)
Prep 10 min
Cook 1 hr 30 min
Serves 6
6 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, peeled and thinly sliced
¼ tsp each fennel, black mustard, nigella and cumin seeds
⅛ tsp fenugreek seeds
1 tsp garlic paste
1 tbsp ginger paste
1kg skinless chicken thighs on the bone
½ tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp kashmiri red chilli powder
1kg plain yoghurt
1 tsp salt (or to taste)
1 fresh green chilli, slit lengthways down the middle, plus a little extra green chilli, chopped, to garnish
1 handful chopped coriander leaves
Put the oil in a deep saucepan on a high heat. Test it’s hot enough by dropping in a piece of onion – if it sizzles immediately, the oil is ready. Add all the onion, fry, stirring, for about 10 minutes, until golden brown, then lift out with a slotted spoon and spread on a plate to cool.
Add all the spice seeds to the hot oil in the pan, then, once the mustard seeds pop, stir in garlic and ginger pastes, and cook for 30 seconds or so, until they smell fragrant – if they start to stick to the pan, deglaze and loosen by adding a few splashes of cold water. Add the chicken thighs, fry for a few minutes on all sides, just to sear, then stir in the three ground spices.
Crush the cooled caramelised onions, stir them into the yoghurt, then add to the chicken pan. Add the salt, bring to a boil, then cover and leave to simmer for 30 minutes. Uncover, add the whole slit chilli and cook, stirring, for another 30 minutes, until the sauce is really clinging to the meat.
Adjust the seasoning to taste, garnish with the chopped chilli and coriander, and serve with riceor rotis, salad and the following cabbage stir-fry.
Cabbage with tomatoes and cashews
This versatile dish pairs beautifully with rice or flatbreads, adds a satisfying texture to all kinds of wraps and works very well as an all vegetable side, too.
Prep 10 min
Cook 40 min
Serves 6
4 tbsp vegetable oil
150g raw cashews
2 dried red chillies
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp ground turmeric
400g tinned chopped tomatoes, or 3–4 fresh tomatoes, chopped
½ tsp chilli powder
1½ tsp salt
750g white cabbage, trimmed and shredded
2 tbsp fresh dill, or other fresh herbs, chopped, to garnish
Put the oil in a wok or deep pan over a medium heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the cashews, stir-fry until lightly browned all over, then lift out with a slotted spoon (discard any burnt nuts, because they’ll be unpleasantly bitter).
Reheat the oil in the pan over a medium heat, then add the dried chillies and cumin seeds, and stir until the chillies darken. Add the turmeric, then stir in the tomatoes, chilli powder and salt. Turn down the heat to medium-low and leave to cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until the oil separates at the edges of the tomato mixture.
Add the shredded cabbage, mixing it in so it gets coated with the spiced tomatoes, then turn up the heat to medium-high, cover the pan and cook for four to five minutes if the cabbage is finely shredded, and for six to eight minutes for thicker slices. Take off the lid, then stir-fry for two minutes more.
Check the seasoning, then stir in the roasted cashews, garnish with the chopped dill and serve.
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These recipes are edited extracts from Monsoon: Delicious Indian Recipes for Every Day and Season, by Asma Khan, published on 6 March by DK RED at £26. To order a copy for £23.40, go to guardianbookshop.com
