One of my favourite recipes from my food bible (Prashad by Inderjit Singh Kalra) is methi (fenugreek) chicken.  I made some a few days ago and added spinach to the recipe which works a treat.  As with every recipe in this book the outcome never seems to fail and the final product is worthy of any top class restaurant.  We had the chicken with brown rice string hoppers but it is a great dish to serve with your favourite Indian bread or rice pilau.

What do I need to make it?

• 1 kg chicken – we used skinless, boneless thighs
• 1 cup yogurt
• 300 gm chopped onions
• 3 tbsp chopped garlic
• 5 tbsp ginger (3 tbsp chopped and 2 tbsp julienned)
• 6 green chillies chopped (de-seed if you want to reduce spiciness)
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 250 gm chopped tomatoes
• 150 gm baby spinach
• 150 gm fresh fenugreek (if using dried fenugreek leaves – sprinkle 2 tbsp towards end of cooking process)
• 1/4 cup fresh coriander chopped
• Whole garam masala
  • 5 green cardamom
  • 1 black cardamom
  • 5 cloves
  • 1 stick of cinnamon
  • 1 bay leaf
  • A pinch of mace
• 1/2 cup of ghee (clarified butter)
• Salt to taste

How much will I make?

Serves 4

How do I make it?

Whisk yogurt in a bowl and add chicken, salt, chopped spinach and fenugreek leaves.  Leave this marinade aside for 30 minutes.  Heat ghee in a oven proof pan, add whole garam masala and saute over medium heat until it begins to crackle.  Add onions and saute until golden brown.  Then add chopped garlic, ginger and green chillies, stir for 2 minutes.   Dissolve the turmeric, chilli and coriander powder in 60 ml of water and add to the pan – stir for 30 seconds.   Add the tomatoes and cook(stir often)  till fat leaves the masala, add the marinated chicken along with marinade and about 1 cup of water.   Bring to a boil, cover and simmer until chicken is almost cooked and the fat leaves the masala once again.  Adjust the seasoning.  Sprinkle the ginger and coriander (and dried fenugreek leaves, ‘kasoori methi’ at this point if not using fresh leaves).  Cover with lid.   Mix some wheat flour and water to make a dough and seal the lid with the dough before placing in a 200 degree pre heated oven for 15 minutes.   Remove the seal, stir and serve hot with your favourite Indian bread or rice.