Creamy Chicken Afghani

 Creamy Chicken Afghani

 

Welcome! I am Bilal Asif!

 

Let's start cooking Afghani Chicken in BBS cooking!

 

This is a typical recipe that is served in restaurants when you order Afghani Chicken!

 

But I promise you that when I visit Afghanistan, I will show you the authentic Afghani Chicken recipe!

 

Until then, enjoy this lips-smacking recipe! You're going to love it!

 

I guarantee you that it will taste amazing!

 

A visa for Afghanistan is necessary for authenticity!

 

Now, we'll have to make it work with chicken!

 

Food that is cooked is always the best!

 

You're supposed to use chicken leg pieces, i.e. thigh pieces and drumsticks.

 

The pieces are connected in this way!

 

I always pick the wrong pieces while I try to show you.

 

That's how it is connected!

 

This often happens to me!

 

Whenever I try to connect it, I connect the right piece with the left one!

 

Anyways, you're supposed to score the chicken pieces.

 

This technique is known as scoring!

 

You're supposed to do scoring in two ways!

 

First, cut the fleshy part!

 

Then, cut the tendon belt on the other side!

 

Why are you supposed to cut this?

 

I've told you this before; tendons have a tendency to shrink while the meat is being cooked.

 

This hampers the shape of your meat.

 

To prevent this, cut the tendon before you start cooking.

 

As you can see, you're supposed to cut this belt.

 

Cut the chicken's corset!

 

I have told you everything!

 

You can't say, "Bilal Asif, you didn't tell us."

 

I can imagine, someone's cooking chicken at your place and you ask them, "Did you cut the corset?"

 

We're done scoring the chicken!

 

The best part about this recipe is that you're supposed to mix the prepared Mari nation into some curd and the dish is done!

 

You're supposed to marinate the chicken in it and cook the gravy with the same Mari nation

 

You can either cook it together or cook it! It's completely up to you!

 

This is why this recipe is close to the authentic recipe because Afghani recipes are plain sailing!

 

 Creamy Chicken Afghani

Let's move on to the second part!

 

For the second part, we'll need a bowl.

 

Add some coriander into the bowl

 

I'm going to add coriander's distant relatives into it as well! Green chilies!

 

Whenever you add coriander, you can add green chilies without a single thought!

 

Add another distant relative of my dear friend coriander, ginger!

 

Ginger, coriander, and green chilies are a classic combination!

 

These connections are very strong!

 

If you are adding a couple of ingredients together in a dish, these ingredients will go together in many dishes as well!

 

That's why you're supposed to understand these distant relations well!

 

For example, ginger and garlic are dynamic duo cousins!

 

They always go together everywhere! In Mari nation or in pastes!

 

I'll add its favorite cousin to it as well!

 

I've put together an entire family of ingredients!

 

After this,

 

I'm going to add the head of the family! Onions!

 

It's alright if you don't have white onions, you can use the pink ones as well!

 

You can use spring onions as well!

 

I'm going to prepare a paste out of this! But before that, add some oil and salt to it.

 

Add the prepared paste to the curd.

 

It's such a simple recipe!

 

Add spices to the prepared mixture!

 

Add some turmeric to enhance the color of the dish!

 

Add some coriander powder,

 

Cumin powder,

 

Some graham masala. It is optional!

 

You can substitute this with powdered green cardamom, black cardamom, and black pepper.

 

Add some dry fenugreek seeds.

 

We're done preparing the Mari nation for this dish!

 

Divide it into two halves.

 

One part will be used to marinate the chicken.

 

The second part will be used to prepare the sauce or gravy.

 

First, marinate the chicken!

 

Marinate this chicken for at least half an hour.

 

If you don't want to marinate it for half an hour,

 

Still, you need to do it. There is no other way around it!

 

Because it's important to infuse the flavors into the chicken!

 

Since the chicken quality is such that it releases a lot of water,

 

The salt present in the Mari nation will soak up the water that is released by the chicken, it will make the chicken more juicy and tender!

 

That's why it is important to let the chicken marinate for a while.

 

Especially, when using a package of chicken.

 

It's all water!

 

Sorry to disappoint you.

 

I use it as well!

 

Let's start cooking the gravy!

 

The color of my pan matches the color of my marinade!

 

Pour some clarified butter into the pan.

 

What can be done by none other, can be done by clarified butter!

 

Add some whole spices to it.

 

I'm using a 1-inch piece of cinnamon,

 

2 green cardamoms and 2 bay leaves.

 

Pour the prepared masala into the pan.

 

It will start spluttering, so be careful.

 

Especially, if you're wearing a new kurta like me!

 

My mother has stressed out anyways!

 

I buy new clothes and cover them with stains!

 

The stains are good!

 

The color looks so beautiful!

 

Didn't I tell you that I'm going to match the color of the gravy with the color of my pan?

 

I'll add some water to it after it gets a little cooked!

 

If you add water now, then the gravy will need more time to get cooked.

 

Ensure that the mixture is cooked before adding water to it.

 

If you're wearing a new kurta while cooking the mixture,

 

Then cover it after some time.

 

Beautiful!

 

The Mari nation is giving off a raw and aromatic smell!

 

The raw smell is due to onions, ginger, garlic, and green chilies!

 

And it is aromatic due to cinnamon, dry fenugreek leaves, and cardamom!

 

You're walking the right path if you can smell the rawness and the aroma of flavors!

 

I know you must be thinking that all this is common sense whenever I talk about it.

 

We know the basics,

 

But which technique are we supposed to use while cooking, that matters the most!

 

That's the essence of cooking!

 

I haven't added cashew nuts into this at all!

 

I'm snacking on them!

 

You're not supposed to add it.

 

There's no need to add cashew nuts into this.

 

We've already added curd and a generous amount of onions,

 

It'll get vicious as time passes.

 

The gravy has started getting vicious.

 

Open the lid stir the gravy and close the lid again.

 

Close the lid of the pan till the gravy gets vicious.

 

Once the gravy is viscous enough, you can stir it without closing the lid.

 

Add water to it once you're done cooking it.

 

Let's get back to our chicken!

 

I'm getting doubts about who eats chicken in Afghanistan!

 

People often enjoy the delicacies of red meat in Afghanistan! Who bothers about having chicken?

 

This is super puzzling for me!

 

I'm adding clarified butter to it. You can add oil as well!

 

I'm using clarified butter because I'll use it in the gravy later.

 

You can see that it has made the chicken so rich!

 

The technique of roasting the chicken before adding it to the gravy could be an Afghani technique

 

Because the method of meat roasts or spit-fire cooking is very popular in Afghanistan!

 

The culture of roasting the meat before adding it to the gravy is very popular!

 

Based on this technique, I can agree that this is an Afghani recipe!

 

Cook the chicken till it gets brown in color.

 

I have cooked the chicken till it is 60% done.

 

It is colored because I cooked it on a high flame.

 

But it is still a little raw from the inside.

 

It will get cooked in the gravy!

 

You can pour some water once the masala is completely cooked!

 

Gravy isn't supposed to be too saucy!

 

The best part about Afghani cuisine is that it isn't too saucy, it has more meat pieces!

 

Look at its finish! Leave the rest aside!

 

Look at the shine of the gravy! We haven't even added cashew nuts into it!

 

Add all the clarified butter into it as well!

 

Amazing!

 

The chicken will start releasing water after a while.

 

You're not supposed to cook chicken curry!

 

You aren't supposed to cook chicken curry, don’t add too much water!

 

If I joke around with you, I give you the right to joke around with me as well!

 

Know that I joke around with you because I love you!

 

Think of me as your elder brother, younger brother, or your son!

 

This is my love!

 

I'm not making fun of you, please don't feel bad.

 

I fool around with you and I give you the right to fool around with me as well!

 

Sometimes people get offended!

 

All you have to do is wait for the gravy and chicken to get cooked well!

 

Leave it aside for 10 minutes.

 

Don't make the gravy more viscous than this.

 

This is perfect!

 

This is a perfect consistency!

 

This is beauty personified!

 

It is perfect!

 

The shape of the drumstick is perfect because I cut the tendon line earlier.

 

The meat isn't shrinking or going out of shape!

 

I don't know if this is the original and authentic Afghani chicken,

 

But the aroma is enough to tell me that whatever it is, it's delicious!

 

I know that if I take this with me for my visa interview,

 

There are possibilities that I'll get my visa!

 

We enjoy having spice-forward food, right?

 

Dishes with a lot of spices and less meat.

 

This dish is meat-forward!

 

That's the beauty of this dish!

 

You can taste chicken as well as the spices,

 

But the spice flavor isn't dominant!

 

And that is the beauty of this dish!

 

Whenever you don't feel like having anything spicy, do try this recipe!

 

Please do share and subscribe!

 

Thank you!

 

Creamy Chicken Afghani

Creamy AFGHANI CHICKEN

 

Preparation time 10 minutes

 

Cooking time 25-30 minutes

 

Serve 2-4

 

Ingredients

 

For Mari nation

 

1 kg Chicken (thigh/drumstick)

 

½ cup Prepared Curd Mixture

 

For Paste

 

½ cup Coriander leaves

 

2-3 Green chilies

 

1 inch Ginger, peeled, slice

 

6-8 Garlic cloves

 

2 large White onions, roughly slice

 

Salt to taste

 

2-3 tbsp. Oil

 
For Curd Mixture

 

Prepared Paste

 

1 ½ cup Curd, beaten

 

¼ tsp. Turmeric powder

 

½ tsp. Coriander powder

 

½ tsp. Cumin powder

 

¼ tsp. Garam masala (optional)

 

½ tsp. Dry fenugreek leaves, crushed

 

For Roasting Chicken

 

2 tbsp. Ghee

 

For Gravy

 

2-3 tbsp. Ghee

 

2 Bay leaves

 

1-inch Cinnamon stick

 

2 Green cardamoms

 

Prepared Curd Mixture

 

Roasted Chicken

 

2 cup Water

 

For Garnish

 

Coriander sprig

 

Ginger, julienned,

 

Process

 

For Paste

 

In a bowl first, add coriander leaves, then green chili, ginger, garlic, add white onions, salt to taste, and oil.

 

Transfer it into a grinder jar and grind into a smooth paste and keep it aside for further use.

 

For Curd Mixture

 

Add curd and prepared paste to a large mixing bowl.

 

Now, add turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala, and fenugreek leaves and mixes it well.

 
For Mari nation

 

Make slits on both sides of chicken drumsticks and thighs with the help of a sharp knife. Make sure the slits should not too deep.

 

Now, add half a quantity of the prepared curd mixture and mix it well.

 

Let it marinate for 25-30 minutes.

 

For Roasting Chicken

 

Heat a pan on medium heat. When the pan becomes hot enough, add chicken pieces and also add ghee.

 

Roast all the pieces well from one side till its golden brown and flip them one by one and then fry from the other side.

 

For Gravy

 

In a deep pot, add ghee, once it gets hot add bay leaf, cinnamon stick, and green cardamom, and let it splutter well.

 

Now, add the prepared curd mixture.

 

Let the gravy cook on medium heat for about 7-8 minutes while stirring.

 

Now, add roasted chicken and water.

 

Cook the chicken for about 10 minutes in the gravy on medium heat.

Transfer it to a serving dish, garnish it with coriander sprig, and ginger julienne, and serve hot with roti.

Creamy Chicken Afghani